Hurt
by Mint Julip59
Summary: Dempsey faces his pain and Harry is the only person he feels would understand, the ramifications of his actions surprise them both.
1. Chapter 1

'Can I come in,' Dempsey asked simply as Harry answered the door in a towel as he'd obviously got her out of the bath.

Harry was about to say she wasn't dressed for visitors but something about the set of his features stopped her and she nodded and opened the door wider allowing him to enter.

'I'll just go and put on some clothes, I wasn't expecting company,' she stated the obvious as she had planned a long soak in the bath with a book she was reading. It had been a difficult day at work and she'd been up to her eyes in paperwork to support a high profile arrest her team had made.

Dempsey had been in his office but the door had been shut and he hadn't been communicative which was unusual for him, she'd popped her head round the door with coffee and he'd been monosyllabic in his responses so she'd given up and gone back to her office after deciding he was having a bad day and it was best not to interfere.

In her bedroom she pulled on jeans and a pretty lace top and brushed her hair and then went out to join him.

'You look different without the makeup,' he observed. 'You don't need it,' Harry looked beautiful with or without the slap and it was kind of intimate seeing her without the usual armour so to speak.

'Thank you,' she poured him a Jack Daniels, 'you've been quiet all day what's wrong, James?' She handed him the drink and got a nod of thanks.

He sighed and then shrugged. 'I just wanted some company that's all. Sorry if I messed up your plans for an early night.'

Harry knew there was something else but he obviously didn't want to talk about it. 'I see and I suppose your usual choice of company wasn't available. What's happened to the tall blonde, I saw you with a week ago? Or the redhead, Zara I haven't seen her in a while?'

'Just friends,' he growled as he raised the glass to his mouth, 'you know friends when you want a good time, not friends when you just need company.'

'Ah, so I'm in a different category of friend,' Harry responded in a light tone. 'I'm the friend you can have an off day with,' she poured herself a glass of wine.

'No, you're the friend that can make an off day feel better,' he responded in a heavy tone. 'That's why I'm here.'

Harry, swallowed hard at that, it was unusual for Dempsey to remark on the strength of their bond he just accepted it as a given. 'Have you eaten,' she asked in an even tone and she got up when he shook his head. 'Well come and sit at the breakfast bar while I do the honours. She slid on a pair of rabbit, shaped fluffy slippers which were very cute.

'I had a rather tedious day as Bradshaw had mislaid the paperwork for the kidnap and extortion case I've been working on, so I had to piece it all back together. Steve is certainly a mixed blessing,' she added in a dry tone.' And Joyce and Watson had a falling out that resembled a lovers' tiff so I was tiptoeing around that.'

'Sounds like I should have rescued you,' he smiled in a self-deprecating fashion as he took another slug of the whisky.

Well that was very revealing, was she in fact rescuing her ex-partner and if so what was she rescuing him from, he was definitely in a very strange mood. 'We all have days like that,' she murmured as she chopped up celery and tomatoes.

'Joey, my partner,' he looked down into the whisky, 'he died today, four years today and I can remember it like it was yesterday.'

Harry lay down her knife and dried her hands with kitchen paper. 'I see,' she said softly and came over to stand beside him. 'I'm sorry James,' she gave him a hug her arms around the back of him as he faced into the kitchen, the side of her face pressed against his.

Dempsey closed his eyes and breathed in her soft scent, 'I need you Harry,' his voice was low and shaking.

'I'm here,' she said simply as she held him her blue eyes dark with concern. She knew that Joey's betrayal had been a very deep hurt and she just wanted to soothe away the pain.

-oOo-


	2. Chapter 2

Immediately after that night James went on an undercover operation and Harry didn't see him for three months, it was difficult because her act of comforting him had a result she hadn't expected. Her doctor had confirmed she was pregnant and since then she'd been puzzling about what to do and the time had got away from her somewhat.

When Dempsey burst back into the office after closing down a human trafficking ring he was his usual ebullient self and she wondered exactly how she was going to break the news.

'Makepeace,' he grinned at her, 'it's been a while,' he took a cup of coffee she offered him, 'how's it going?'

'Well we've had a lot of success over the last three months even without your assistance,' she responded in a light, teasing fashion, 'and it's been a lot quieter in the office.'

'I thought I'd gone deaf,' Spikings came out and joined them, 'upstairs are very impressed with you Dempsey and I've been asked to offer you a new position which I think you'll enjoy. You're still working for me though so don't get cocky.'

'Good to hear Chief,' the Yank responded his gaze trying to read Harry's body language. He'd had to leave her bed and start the undercover role and he'd overslept so his departure had been hurried. Harry didn't give any sign of anything being different between them so he hoped she hadn't thought badly of him.

Those blue eyes of hers had haunted him through the days that followed and it had been hard not to ache for her after what had passed between them. He guessed she'd seen it as a one off, or maybe she didn't, he'd have to gauge how she played it. It was kind of delicate because they operated on a lot of different levels and this had added a new layer to an already complicated relationship.

Spikings led the way to his office where he handed Dempsey the document that framed the new role. 'Your own division, Chief Inspector, the crime rate is expanding and so are we. We're quite the flavour of the month with the Home Office so lots of funds and opportunity for advancement.' The Welshman couldn't help puffing out his chest at his team's success and was pleased that he'd managed to helm the ship, as it were, so successfully.

'Well I like the thought of being a Chief Inspector,' a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth, 'and I see that I get all the nasty crime,' he observed.

'You get the crime exported from the U.S.,' Spikings lit up a cigarette. 'It makes sense since they exported you too,' he smirked in a pleased with himself way. 'Nice salary hike, you'll be able to wine and dine the fairer sex and you get a nice car with the job.'

'All good,' Dempsey agreed. 'I'll read through it and get back to you, thanks Chief,' he got up and made his way out of the office.

Harry was pedalling her computer and he went and sat on her desk, 'I'm going to be a Chief Inspector,' he told her with an amused look on his face. 'You can call me sir.'

The blonde officer smiled sweetly. 'That will be nice for you, you'll be the same rank as Chief Inspector Lacey, perhaps you can be friends.'

'Why not?' Dempsey responded in a generous manner, 'I told you before he's a fun guy. I'm gonna celebrate my success over at the bar, you coming?'

'I may pop over for a short time,' she agreed without committing herself too much. 'I have a lot on this week, congratulations by the way.' She went back to her office and thought about the situation. Dempsey was acting as if nothing had happened between them and normally she would follow his lead. However, this situation wasn't normal and she wasn't exactly sure how she was going to broach the subject. She hadn't told Spikings yet but she would have to tackle the problem shortly as she couldn't be involved in any operation that could involve potential harmful situations. To be truthful her workload didn't usually involve shoot outs, that had been in the past when she worked with Dempsey and before they moved into more senior positions.

The American officer missed Makepeace at the pub as she didn't turn up and he wondered about that. Sure, she'd said she was busy but normally Harry would make an appearance, it was odd that she didn't and several people commented on it which was nice. Was this her way of saying that she wasn't interested in pursuing anything with him? If it was that hurt, I mean that night had been terrific even if the hug had started as a sympathy hug. What to do about it was the problem, should he ask her out to talk about it. Should he wait for her to give him some kind of signal. What did he want anyway? None of the questions had easy answers and he was going round in circles thinking about it.

-oOo-

Harry was pensive as she buttered her toast the next morning. What was she going to do, I mean she had to tell him? She didn't have to tell him today she relaxed at that thought but she would have to tell him. I mean how would she tell him, 'oh bye the way that night you needed a friend well guess what, baby Dempsey is on the way?' I mean it was embarrassing, she could just imagine her ex-partner's face when the well-known ladies' man found out he was going to be a father, she groaned at the thought.

Dempsey was in the canteen chowing down on a bacon and egg roll and a big cup of black coffee, Harry would normally be in by now. He wondered what today would bring, would she ignore him and just get on with her business, I mean they were good friends they should be able to talk about it.

Chas and Joyce were going through case notes and had tuned into the way the American and blonde kept giving each other surreptitious glances. They were both obviously ill at ease. 'Do you think they've made any progress in their relationship,' Joyce's eyes narrowed. 'They both seem to be trying to work out what the state of play is.'

'Something's changed, the Glaswegian nodded, 'you can feel the tension,' he signed off Hargreaves report.

'Hmm… interesting,' Joyce observed. 'I hope Harry hasn't done anything silly, she's such an excellent policewoman it would be a shame if her career was impacted by Dempsey, I mean she resigned over him once.'

'I did wonder about that,' Chas responded in his usual dour tone. 'Well something is going down and I expect we'll know soon enough.'

-oOo—

Harry once again opened her door to find Dempsey outside.

'Can I come in its freezing out here,' he growled as he pushed past her and walked into the hall.

'I suppose so,' she responded her tone sarcastic. 'Hello James, what can I do for you,' she walked after him into her lounge.

'You've been avoiding me at work so I guessed the direct approach was the best, we need to discuss the last night I was here.' He turned and looked at her. 'It was emotional,' he guessed that was the best he could come up with.

'It was emotional,' she considered that. 'Yes, I suppose it was,' she sat down and indicated he should too. 'You were upset and needed a friend.'

'Yeah, but it was more than that,' Dempsey ran a hand through his hair, 'I mean it was more than a hug.'

'We had sex,' Harry said baldly, 'is that what you're trying to say,' her blue eyes coolly met his and she could see he looked very awkward.

'Yeah, well we've never done that before,' he gave a dry laugh which expressed how uncomfortable he felt, 'kind of changed things.'

'It has changed things and it's changed things rather more than you know,' Harry got up and made some coffee for him and tea for her.

'How's that,' he got up and followed her leaning on the kitchen unit, as he accepted the cup of coffee.

In for a penny, in for a pound, Harry thought. 'I'm pregnant,' she lifted her tea to her mouth and took a sip whilst evaluating his expression. Shock, she surmised, he looked like a cartoon image of shock, you could almost see the jagged edges.

'You're what?' He could hardly believe his ears, she looked so calm and he felt as if his world had just exploded.

'I'm pregnant,' she added, 'as a result of that night. I thought you should know,' she took another sip of tea and wondered what he'd say next. It was a relief to have told him.

'You're saying that you're having my baby,' his dark eyes searched hers and saw the confirmation there, 'Jesus.'

'No, it's definitely a Dempsey,' she responded in mocking tones, 'no immaculate conception I'm afraid.'

'I'm in shock, give me a break,' he responded as he put down his coffee. 'You told Spikings?'

'No, you're the only person that knows,' she took her tea and sat down, 'and if it's any help I was shocked too but I've had more time to think about it.'

'Where did you get with the thinking,' he headed for the alcohol and poured himself a generous shot. He needed it. He'd never got anyone pregnant before, he'd always meticulously avoided any complication like that.

'Well I decided that I'm going to have the baby,' she said calmly. 'It will be interesting to see what the mixture of our genes will be like,' she looked rather amused at that thought. 'So far I'm imagining a little shouty aristocrat.'

'Three months,' he worked out the maths, 'you weren't on the pill then cos I never used anything. I mean I normally ask but I was having a difficult time, I should've asked.'

'Yes, you should have but then I wasn't really expecting it to happen,' Harry looked rather puzzled that it had.

'Oh, so you didn't clue in when we were naked,' he responded in a dry tone. 'I think I got it around then.' He looked over at her. This is huge Harry, I can't get my head around it.'

'I'll tell Spikings when I get to the end of the fourth month, I don't have to tell him who the father is so we can keep that to ourselves.'

'I need to think this through but my instinct says that I'm not gonna deny my own kid,' he got up and paced around his mind busily readjusting to the news. 'How are you feeling,' his gaze ran over her, 'you don't look like you're knocked up.'

'It won't show for a while,' she said in a soothing tone. 'I'm fine, never better. I had some morning sickness early on but that's gone now.'

'You're so calm. I can't get over how calm you are I got this panicky feeling in my gut,' he took another slug of the whisky.

'That's called a fear of commitment. I'm not asking you for anything James, I'm quite happy to raise the child on my own….

'Now hang on, I didn't say I wanted that.' He put the glass down and came over to her. 'I need to think about it a bit, you've had time to process it I'm fifteen minutes in.' He sat beside her and took her hand playing with her fingers. 'Guess you're pretty mad at me huh, if I hadn't dropped in on you this wouldn't be happening.'

'I think we've both been irresponsible,' Harry surmised the situation. 'But we are where we are and you needed me that night.'

'Yeah but the hug got out of control,' he squeezed her hand. 'I knew I'd always had the hots for you but I didn't get it that you…

Cool fingers were placed against his lips, 'it was a moment of weakness,' she informed him, 'and now we have to work out exactly what we're going to do about it.'


	3. Chapter 3

Dempsey's shock had had a cathartic effect on Harry's emotions she felt calm in the face of his emotional turmoil. He was quiet at work, unusually pensive. She wondered how he was getting along with the subject at hand.

When he found her perched perilously on stepladders trying to get a file from the top of the filing cabinet his hands came around her hips in a vice like grip and he helped her down. 'Are you crazy,' he remonstrated. 'Don't do anything like that; do you hear me, what if you'd fallen, you think about that?'

All heads were turned in the archives so people would be bound to gossip, Harry went a deep shade of red. That had been embarrassing.

She turned to face him. 'As you can see I'm perfectly okay, thank you Chief Inspector,' she marched out of the filing room only to find him at her shoulder.

'You need anything like that you ask me,' he growled at her. 'Don't go doing anything dangerous.'

'I've got that,' she responded snippily. 'There was no need to make a scene everyone will be gossiping about us; it's bad enough as it is.'

'Yeah, well they'd be right. We couldn't be in any deeper Makepeace,' he rounded a corridor with her and they came face to face with Spikings who took in their expressions.

'Everything all right?' The Superintendent was his usual sarcastic self, 'you both look out of sorts. In fact, I've had a lot of comments about my command line and I don't like it so stop whatever it is that you're doing and knuckle down.'

'Yes sir,' Harry responded in a suitably polite and respectful tone.

The Welsh senior officer stormed down the corridor. 'Well that went well,' Harry mocked her ex-partner.

'I'm a first-time father, sue me,' Dempsey retorted as he strode off to his office.

-oOo—

A week later Harry joined Dempsey in the pub as he wanted to talk. She sat down and he went to get her a drink. She studied his demeanour he looked very decided about something and that rang alarm bells because when Dempsey got an idea in his head he was rather determined.

'Thanks,' she accepted the fruit juice. 'You wanted to talk to me?' She questioned him.

'Yeah, it's coming up to the time when you've got to tell Spikings so I've been thinking about that.' He rubbed the back of his neck and turned to look at her. 'I think we should get married, make the kid legit.'

Harry's shock was the cartoon equivalent of Dempsey's earlier reaction. 'Married,' she said weakly. She'd thought a lot about how James would take the news of impending fatherhood but never in her wildest imagination had she dreamed up an offer of marriage. She'd listened to his views on the subject as they'd wiled away evenings on stake outs and his negative attitude towards the institution had convinced her he'd never marry or settle down.

'Yeah, you don't have to tell anyone who you're marrying it's just better if you are, career wise.' He slipped her a ring box.

The blonde gulped and slowly opened the box which revealed a beautiful sapphire and diamond arrangement. 'It's very pretty,' she felt she had to say something. It was a beautiful ring and one she'd be happy to wear, shouldn't she be saying something at this point like thank you but no thank you. When she thought back about it she'd be puzzled why she didn't decline.

'Here,' Dempsey was always impatient and he took it out of the box and slid it on the appropriate finger. 'It looks better if you have the wedding band before you tell Spikings. He's an old-fashioned guy and so are the top brass. I've got some documents I need from you, to get the license,' he gave her a list.

Harry appreciated that Dempsey, who was married to his work, would want to make sure he didn't damage her career. He thought she was a good cop and that was something that mattered to him. She wondered what his expectations were and thought she'd better ask. 'In what way are we getting married? I mean are you expecting a normal….

'There's nothing normal about any of it. Look, this is what I'm thinking, we get married the kids legit and we work everything out slowly about the rest. I don't want to rush you into anything; I've screwed up and I'm gonna take responsibility for that. I care about you Harry and I care about… you know what, so this is kind of stage one of the plan the rest's still in development.'

Harry felt the heavy weight of the ring and she smiled rather touched by his efforts to protect her reputation. 'I see. So, this is your way of protecting my career,' she wanted to be clear as to exactly what he was offering.

'You're a good cop, Makepeace and I don't want to make a habit of screwing with that,' he alluded to her resignation over the Crazy Joe incident.

Harry accepted that and she had to admit it would be better if she was married as she worked in a male chauvinist institution and she could do without the salacious remarks and unpleasant gossip that her pregnancy would undoubtedly generate.

'My father will want to see you, he's quite old fashioned in that way and he knows about our situation so you won't have to break that news. I doubt a shotgun will be involved but you should ask him for his approval. Robert didn't do that last time and he's always reminded me of that mainly because he didn't like my ex-husband and would have tried to persuade me not to do it.

'Yeah sure,' Dempsey wondered if he looked as awkward as he felt but he wasn't about to shirk his responsibilities cos he'd never been that guy.

-oOo—

The appearance of the engagement ring caught Joyce's eye first and her eyebrows rose in surprise. Harry was a friend as well as a colleague and she hadn't known she was dating anyone currently. It looked very much like an engagement ring and it was on the appropriate finger.

'Coffee,' she offered casually to the blonde officer. They made their way to the canteen and ordered beverages and found a table. Hargreaves was finding it hard to control her curiosity. 'Nice ring,' she commented and looked at Harry expectantly.

'It is a nice ring isn't it,' the blonde officer splayed her hand. 'I think it's rather pretty and as I'm more office bound these days I felt I could wear it without worrying about damaging it or catching some villain with it as I made an arrest.'

'It looks like an engagement ring,' Joyce pointed out as she sipped her coffee, her cat like eyes viewing the other woman.

'Yes, I suppose it does,' Harry responded enigmatically. She was waiting for the question because she knew her friend and Hargreaves didn't give up easily.

'Well, is it?' Joyce cut to the chase, 'and if it is who are you engaged too? I wasn't aware you were dating.'

Makepeace had practiced her response to this question so she had an answer ready. 'Well, it was a bit of a whirlwind romance and we're keeping it between the two of us currently until we're more comfortable with making an announcement.

'Oh my God, you're marrying Jim!' Hargreaves sounded horrified. 'I had a horrible feeling that might be on the cards. You've been circling around each other ever since he came back from that people trafficking operation both Chas and I have been trying to work out what was happening and now this.' Joyce pointed at the ring.

Harry tried very hard to keep her composure at this point. This was absolutely awful, the last thing they needed was everyone conjecturing about the two of them. Looking at it later she would realise that trying to keep things secret would just make those around them more curious but at the time she just wanted to curl up in a ball of denial.

'As I said the man I'm going to marry and I are not making an announcement just yet, thank you Joyce and I'd rather you didn't speculate on the issue and would ask you to respect my wishes on that.'

'It's definitely true then,' Joyce sat back in her seat. 'Well, don't worry I won't say anything but if you think people won't put two and two together you're very much mistaken. I mean if you hadn't wanted people to gossip you shouldn't have put the ring on.' She looked at her blonde friend. 'You've always been infatuated with that man, you and the typing pool and half of London's available females how does it feel to join the Dempsey Club, I thought you were smarter than that Harry.'

'I see respecting my wishes is low on your agenda,' Harry responded in a cool tone. It was then that she was absolutely sure denial was better than the reveal because Joyce was a lot more tactful than many of her colleagues who discussed the Chief Inspector's romantic life.

'Discussing her pregnancy with Chief Superintendent Spikings wasn't going to be particularly easy and if he thought Dempsey had knocked her up he would probably be apoplectic.

-oOo—

'How's it going,' Dempsey came into her office and put his feet up on the table and began to devour some disgusting looking hot dog.

'Why did you come into my office with that you know I hate fast food,' she opened a window. 'And how is it going? Well, Joyce immediately jumped to the conclusion I was marrying you and gave me her honest views on that.'

'Did you say you and the guy were keeping it to yourselves like we discussed,' he took a slug of coffee to wash down the offending food.

Harry nodded her head in response.

'You can't have been very convincing if she worked out it was me.' His gaze was slightly critical and he could see Makepeace's chin raise in challenge.

'Dempsey, I worked undercover and I was good at it so don't tell me I wasn't convincing,' she frowned as she obviously hadn't been. 'Joyce said we'd been circling each other ever since you came back from the last operation so she knew something was afoot, so to speak.'

'Well that's cos we had sex and we needed to work out how we were going to deal with that and then you've got the baby so there was definitely something afoot to use your terminology. A great big something.'

'Ha, ha!' Harry looked exasperated. 'Well if anyone else puts two and two together…

'And makes four,' Dempsey drawled and then shrugged. 'No need to say nothing it's none of their business, just don't get drawn into that conversation.'

'Oh, you try wearing the bloody ring,' she snapped annoyed at the way he'd turned it on her.

'It ain't me that's got to look respectable,' he informed her in a mock patient tone. 'Everybody knows I ain't.' He took his feet off her desk and went to leave. 'Just put on your Lady Harriet routine and treat them to the ice, worked for me every time,' he gave her a wince of a smile and got out of the door before she threw something at his head, Harry was a mean shot so getting out of there seemed a sensible option.


	4. Chapter 4

Dempsey drove over to Eton Square and gave a wry smile, it was kind of awkward meeting Lord Winfield to ask for his daughter's hand in marriage. They'd come a long way him and Harry; he remembered how he'd teased Makepeace when they'd first worked together, he'd been a jerk treating her like she was some rookie. Still she'd stood up to him and he'd had to admire her spirit and that had turned into a deep respect for her abilities as a police officer and that was kind of why he was here.

He wondered what he was in for cos he was approaching forty and he wasn't gonna be talked down to like he was some upstart that had trifled with the princess. He didn't think Harry's father would be like that though cos he was polite and usually charming.

Lord Winfield invited the American into his study after Abbot had opened the door and taken Dempsey's coat. 'Hello James, it's good to see you. Can I offer you a drink?' The elderly gentleman hovered near a table which had a wide selection of spirits and a solid, silver ice bucket.

'Whisky, thank you sir,' Dempsey looked round the room it was impressive and had that old world look about it that he'd become familiar with on his visits to Winfield Hall. 'Nice room,' he approved as he took the glass offered to him. 'Harry says you know about our situation,' it was as good a start as any because he wanted to get on with the conversation. It was kind of uncomfortable having to talk about knocking up the guy's daughter.

'Yes, I was rather surprised that you'd both been so careless,' the older man's gaze held slight disapproval. 'I mean you're expecting a child and you haven't really sorted out your relationship with each other which is hardly ideal.'

'Agreed, but we are where we are and I'd like your permission to marry your daughter cos she wants to become the first, female Police Commissioner and I don't want to mess with that.'

'I understand, but I'm concerned that my daughter is embarking on a second loveless marriage, it's doomed to failure if you don't have the right feelings for each other.'

Okay, so the old guy wanted to play hard ball. Dempsey could understand that cos if he was Harry's pop he would probably be less than enthusiastic about the situation. 'I care about your daughter sir and I'll do my best to look after her and the baby, you have my word on that.'

'I believe you will,' Freddie appraised the younger man. 'I've always felt that Harry was safe with you, it made me feel better about her work at SI10.'

Dempsey felt that was very generous when he thought about some of the scrapes he'd got Harry into. But then again, he'd got her out of them without too much damage and vice versa. 'We make a good team, me and Harry. The situation has its challenges but we usually work our way through whatever's thrown at us.'

'What about other women?' Lord Winfield wasn't one to pussy foot around when it came to his daughter's happiness. 'I know that Harry has reservations about your relationships with the fairer sex, in fact she's quite scathing about your romantic forays. She describes it as a revolving door approach; girl goes in, girl goes out and repeat.' The older man smiled at his daughter's wit on the subject.

Dempsey ran a hand around the back of his neck showing his discomfiture. 'I was single and the British ladies liked the accent,' he smiled. 'Alone in a big city and all that.' He took a slug of the whisky. 'I'm not going to lie to you sir, there's a lot for the two of us to work out but I want to make things right for Harry cos she made things right for me over here.'

Lord Winfield appreciated that the American wasn't about to try and pull the wool over his eyes so to speak. He also knew that Harry had feelings for James and he believed those feelings ran deeper than she would admit. He was also looking forward to welcoming a grandchild even though the situation was somewhat unconventional. 'Can you promise me that you won't hurt my daughter, James?' Lord Winfield held Dempsey's gaze and could see that he was rather taken back by the question.

James swallowed hard. 'I can promise you that I'll try not to do that, sir. Harry can be difficult to read sometimes and she keeps a lot to herself, she's like me in that respect. I went to her when I was in emotional pain and she helped me with that. She was the only one who could help me with that. There's no other girl for me when it comes down to it,' he smiled in a wry fashion, 'but don't tell her I said that.'

Lord Winfield smiled and nodded his head. 'Well, she may take some convincing but I wish you the best of luck. I'll give you my blessing on the subject of your marriage and my advice is to be persistent and you'll get there in the end.' He offered his hand to the younger man and they shook hands on it. Freddie wasn't displeased with the conversation as he believed the couple had the makings of a successful relationship if only the two protagonists would recognise that themselves.

-oOo-

Back to the day job and Dempsey was monitoring a warehouse they were just about to enter, he noted the men were all in position and raised the RT to his mouth. 'Okay, move in.' He looked at his watch they should have this wrapped up in time for the pub opening.

Chas was liaising with the uniforms and they went in after SI10 had cleared away any opposition as they weren't armed.

'Watson, make sure to get all the paperwork,' Dempsey growled, as the bust would probably reveal dodgy accounting from what they'd heard.

The Glaswegian officer joined him and gave him a cup of coffee from the local cafe, 'we've got all the people inside the building out and placed them under arrest and the uniforms are loading up the filing cabinets and computer equipment. Inspector Winfield's team are going to have their work cut out, there's a lot of it.'

'Well Harry's got a sixth sense when it comes to sniffing out the good stuff so I have every confidence that if it's there she'll find it.'

'Wedding ring as well as engagement ring on her finger this week,' Chas remarked. 'Not saying much about the husband, definitely keeping schtum.'

Dempsey shrugged. 'Harry never talks about that stuff. I mean all she told me about her ex was that they were separated and he was living with her best friend. After that there were no anecdotes or I remember when's. I mean when you think about it we sat in a car with each other or across a desk for the best part of three years, you'd think you'd get the skinny on all that.'

'It's causing a lot of gossip,' Jarvis added as he picked up the radio, 'even Spikings asked me what I knew.'

'Everyone gossips, I expect she'll make a reveal sooner or later, when she's ready,' he got up to go and talk to Lacey as they'd borrowed his boys on the beat and he schooled his face into a pleasant expression even though he was gritting his teeth.

-oOo—

Chief Superintendent Spikings looked across his desk at Harry as she told him her news. The information had been delivered in Harry's usual cool tones and she looked completely composed. It was probably the aristocratic upbringing; refusing to show any emotion.

'I see. Am I to assume you will be returning to your position after the baby is born,' Spikings asked in an even tone.

'Yes, I would like to come back after the maternity leave is over,' Harry confirmed.

'Well you don't have to decide that yet but I appreciate that information as it makes planning and budgeting easier. Congratulations, Inspector Winfield,' Harry had reverted to her maiden name when the wedding ring had appeared on her finger as obviously keeping her ex-husband's name would have been odd.

'Thank you, sir, I will be working right up to having the baby so you will have time to find a replacement.'

'Good to know and does er… Chief Inspector Dempsey know of your current situation,' Spikings was bloody sure he did.

'I've only told a limited number of people in my circle and I'd rather the news wasn't widely circulated for the time being,' Harry responded in an even tone.

'I see,' Spikings growled. 'Well it's your own private business and I won't be discussing it other than where required. That's all,' he could see that Harry was relieved to get the discussion over with and he glanced out of his office to view Dempsey's behaviour. The Yank was talking to someone on the phone so not much to be gathered from that. He supposed she'd finally accepted one of her suitors from her set but he would be surprised if that hadn't put the American officer's nose out of joint because he'd always been very protective of Harry if not proprietorial.

-oOo—

Dempsey had retired to the local after the warehouse operation and looked up as the tall blonde, Elena joined him. It was the woman whom Harry had referred to when he'd visited her home that fateful evening. 'Hey,' he smiled at her. 'Long time, huh?'

'It is a long time anyone would almost think you were avoiding me Jim, what's going on?' Her green eyes ran over him appreciatively, 'I thought we had fun.'

James got up and got her a drink and then sat down and took a slug of his Jack Daniels. 'Yeah, we had fun,' he agreed. 'I enjoyed your company, but currently I need space to deal with a situation.'

'I see so you're saying you're off my radar for a while and fun is a thing of the past.' Elena was composed she hadn't been looking for anything serious but she'd had a good time so the ending of it was disappointing.

'Yeah, I am.' He smiled in a self-deprecatory fashion, 'I think my fun days are over, had a good run so can't complain.'

'So, this is just a drink?' Elena concluded feeling rather disappointed that the evening would be cut somewhat short.

Dempsey noticed that Harry had just come into the bar with Hargreaves and gave a silent groan. 'Yeah that's right,' he agreed wondering if his ex-partner would see it like that.

'I suspect the situation is a woman,' Elena responded with a pout. 'It's not that frosty bitch that's just come into the bar is it because if it is I think you're right on the fun front.'

James used all his undercover skills to peruse the bar as if he hadn't seen the blonde officer come in. 'Oh, you mean Harry, she used to be my partner at work; you know we work in pairs, runs her own team now, recently married.'

'I always wondered about the two of you but if she's married I guess she's off limits. Well here's to fun James and I want my future to be full of it and am saddened at its demise for yours truly, cheers!'

-oOo—

Harry answered the door and saw that Dempsey had once more made his way to her doorstep. 'I'm somewhat surprised to see you here this evening in fact you're the last person I expected to see.'

'Yeah well I was just terminating my relationship with fun Elena and you walked into the bar so that was a bit awkward.'

'Awkward for whom?' Harry asked as she went back to the meal she was preparing, she was hungry and the casserole smelt good.

'Well you're my wife now so it feels kind of weird if you're there and I'm with someone else,' he took off his jacket and helped himself to a glass of wine and sat down on her couch.

'Yes, well technically I'm your wife but that's just to legitimise the fruit of your loins,' she tasted the casserole, it was good. 'I mean as far as the rest is concerned its part of the map we haven't got to yet.'

'You don't sound the least bit jealous,' he growled in an annoyed tone. 'I mean I'm there with a hot blonde who's warm and willing and you're okay with it.'

'We don't own each other James,' Harry put two plates out and spooned some of the hearty dish onto both plates and then added newly baked bread. 'I'm starving so please sit down and have dinner,' she sat down and got tucked in.

'You know that's funny. You never tear into food like that, it's got to be the baby that's doing that.'

'Probably, you do tear into food so it must be one of your characteristics,' she responded as she swallowed the succulent meat. 'So, you finished with the tall, blonde lady you were with, does that mean you're single because of our marriage vows?' Her blue eyes looked amused as she glanced over at him.

Dempsey tore of some of the bread and soaked up the gravy. 'Yeah, I guess it does. It seems disrespectful to do anything else. I'm mean you're having my kid and I'm out enjoying myself with someone else, it don't feel right.'

'Well Joyce certainly had some scathing things to say in your dispraise but I suppose it raised a moment of doubt in her mind as I didn't react.' Harry had been quite proud of her cool demeanour.

'I suppose that's good,' he took a mouthful of wine. 'There's a couple of months grace before you start to show, I've been reading up about it. At six months it'll be harder to hide, I don't think you should work after that…

'I'm working right up to the birth,' Harry informed him airily. 'I enjoy my job, it's not dangerous and I don't want to sit and twiddle my thumbs at home. I'm used to being busy.'

'Yeah well you need to rest, you could've been called out on that heist in Hatton Garden. I don't want you doing that.'

'You don't,' Harry's troubled gaze showed her confusion. 'James, we got married to legitimize the baby and protect my career. And true to form you're now trying to tell me what to do. I don't want a man telling me what to do,' she looked irritated at that thought.

'Too bad cos you got one. This is good,' he forked up some of the casserole, 'it's my job as the father to look out for you and I'm doing that cos I don't shirk my responsibilities. I avoid creating responsibilities in general but when I got them I take them seriously.'

'You're moving the goalposts of our agreement,' she informed him in a wry tone. 'I must have been stupid to think you might stick to the rules of the game because you never have in the past.'

'Yeah, you should've known better,' his warm eyes caressed her. 'Something I want you to think about is the sex thing. I mean I just turned down a solid gold opportunity and you give me beef stew. Man cannot live by bread alone,' he winked at her. 'Think about it cos we're good together.'

'Dempsey,' Harry's tone told him in no uncertain terms that he was on dangerous ground.

'I can tell you a sad story if it would help,' he grinned at her in his usual audacious manner. 'C'mon Harry, we're friends, we get on. We're hot for each other, that's why we're in this situation and I did the honourable thing, even squared it with Freddie.'

'James has it occurred to you that if we followed your advice things would get very complicated,' she put her head to one side and considered him thoughtfully.

He took her hand and his thumb rubbed over the rings he'd bestowed on her, 'baby I'd say they're already complicated and when do we get to the good part.'


	5. Chapter 5

Harry was distracted at work as she considered Dempsey's proposed change in their relationship. I suppose from his point of view he'd turned down an evening which would end with sex to come and eat beef stew with her. He had a good appetite but it obviously didn't end with beef stew or indeed treacle pudding.

She pushed her fringe back and tried to concentrate on the documents from the warehouse as there was alleged money laundering going on and the goods in and goods out had just been an excuse to legitimise money.

Her 'husband' was out of his office in the general workspace and had Bradshaw up against the wall for some misdemeanour, the boys in the team tended to have a rather rough and tumble style. She watched and saw Steve says something placatory as he didn't want to take Dempsey on that much was apparent.

Joyce came in with a tray of tea and biscuits and looked at the paperwork piled up in D.I. Winfield's office, 'oh dear, that doesn't look like much fun.'

'I'm just going straight for the accounts and the ebb and flow of business will tell me what I need to know, the rest is just window dressing. The warehouse was just a front to ship goods in and goods out and paid with the counterfeit and sold for real money. It's simple but effective. I'm nearly there, why was Dempsey laying into Steve?'

'Oh that, usual stuff. Bradshaw has managed to compromise his evidence by getting too close to the mark, so some rather fruity language about keeping his gun in the holster as it were. On the other hand, he has made good progress on the case so it wasn't all bad, hence the reprieve. 'How is married life,' Joyce poured the tea and sat down, 'you haven't said much about it,' her cat like eyes observed Harry's cool demeanour and she gathered she was unlikely to be enlightened.

'Same as everyone we're just getting used to being married as it was all rather sudden. It's a voyage of discovery with occasional moments of turbulence. Dempsey's conversation about future intimacy could certainly be described as turbulence, he was attractive but Joyce's sarcastic 'Dempsey Club,' remark rankled mainly because it was true.

'I was disappointed not to get an invite, I would have liked to wish you well,' Joyce responded in a dry tone.

'It was a very small affair, perhaps we will do something more lavish in the future if everything works out,' Harry smiled at her friend. In truth Freddie and Angela had been their only guests and she was getting rumblings on the family and friends front about her lack of communication on the subject.

'Well, that would be lovely, I'm fascinated to see the man who could sweep Lady Harriet Winfield off her feet, he must be a rare breed.'

Harry tried to stop the colour heating her cheeks, 'yes, I suppose he is.'

-oOo—

'Okay so we got the money laundering figured, good work D.I. Winfield,' Dempsey approved her quick analysis of the situation. 'I have to say if I ever wanted to cook the books I'd know where to come,' he moved on to Bradshaw.

'So, Steve apart from romancing Carly Stevens what else did you get? Oh, and by the way I don't appreciate your ball and chain giving me an ear bending about sending her guy off to fornicate for the force.'

Watson and Morrison duly sniggered at that and even Chas looked amused.

'Fry, you got to screen my calls better, Mrs Bradshaw would never have got past Chas,' he growled, and the younger man looked duly shamefaced.

'Carly says that her boyfriend Malik, has got a big drug shipment coming into the docks at Hammersmith next week. He didn't tell her that she just heard him on the phone; he's the kind of bloke that thinks women are just there as pussy.'

'Thank you for that; he didn't think she had ears then,' Joyce responded sarcastically.

'I was quoting Carly, that's what she said,' Bradshaw gave Joyce a smirk of a smile as he abnegated himself of responsibility for the comment.

'We can watch the docks, on the other hand he could be just testing Carly out to see if she would grass on him and then your little lady friend's in trouble so we need to be discrete.' Dempsey lit a cigar.

'We should get Carly into witness protection,' Harry recommended as she was more worried about the vulnerable female. 'Men like Malik don't react very well to their ladies being trifled with or the said lady being indiscrete about their movements.'

'Yes, but if we do that then Malik will be alerted,' Steve frowned. 'I mean she can't just disappear,' he'd notice. We could set a honey trap for Malik if we sent DI Winfield in he'd be distracted.'

'Not doing that,' Dempsey responded without considering it. 'I don't want Harry's husband bending my ear, newly-wed got to respect that.'

Harry had no desire to get involved with Malik so she didn't question the Chief Inspector's decision and indeed rather welcomed it. The meeting went on for some time and in the end, they were to watch the docks and put a tail on both Malik and Carly.

'And Bradshaw,' Dempsey called the guy back, 'no more fraternization with Carly Stevens, it's dangerous for the girl and it's dangerous for you; you might get your nuts served up as an entrée.'

Harry and Joyce shared a glance of empathy as they registered the usual male conversation which to give the guys their due was tempered when they were in the room.

-oOo—

Spikings was in a contemplative mood as he studied his protégé Detective Inspector Winfield. Harry had always been discrete about her personal life but to not even mention the name of this 'husband' who'd turned up out of the blue was surprising.

The team went out for meals together and wives and partners were invited. It was true that Dempsey and Makepeace would often come together and occasionally the Yank would turn up in the pub with his latest bit of stuff. Harry didn't usually invite her boyfriends to these events or to the pub, it was as if there were two worlds for the D.I., her work life and her private life. However, he was a policeman and Harry's situation had got his nose twitching.

The General Register Office at St. Katherine House would hold the records of birth, deaths and marriages and so Harriet Winfield's husband should be registered there. It went against the grain to pry into the lives of his staff but something about the female officer's situation irked him.

He'd heard the gossip about Dempsey's reaction to Harry balancing precariously in the archives and that had made him think. The Yank had always been protective of the blonde officer, and he couldn't see him taking it lightly that she was engaged, married and pregnant by another man although of course he hadn't been told that the American knew about the latter part. The partners had formed a close bond, so he would be surprised if Harry hadn't told him. It was annoying, but was that reason enough for him to investigate? It was a matter that was taxing him as he respected the girl and would normally respect her wishes.

-oOo-

Sergeant Bradshaw had no such qualms, he was a gossip and he thought it was odd that the posh, tart officer had got engaged and married and nobody not even Joyce Hargreaves or the Yank knew who she'd married. As a police officer he had contacts in the General Register Officer and he thought it wouldn't do any harm to find out who the lucky man was.

Sergeant Hargreaves was also intrigued by Harry's marital status and was very tempted to break her friends request for privacy and investigate the issue. Of course, she wouldn't say anything to Harry about it, but she would know. The temptation to investigate was wrong of her, she knew that but on the other hand it was unusual for Harry not to trust her with the information and that had rankled.

-oOo—

When Joyce turned up at St. Katherine's House and asked for the record of the marriage of Harriet Winfield the clerk expressed surprise and said it was the third time the record had been requested that day. A heat suffused Hargreaves complexion and she felt rather awful for looking at the certificate, her eyebrows rose when she saw that her previous suspicions were spot on.

'Is it possible to tell me who else has been looking at the record of Harriet Winfield's marriage, I'm a police officer,' she showed her badge. The clerk nodded, 'and so were the other two gentlemen,' she showed the entry.

'Well, well, well,' she smiled. So, she wasn't the only person with the information. Spikings could be relied on to be discrete but Bradshaw? She noted that the Chief Superintendent's request was after Steve's, so it would be interesting to see how that played out. 'Was the Superintendent aware of Sergeant Bradshaw's request,' she asked nonchalantly.

'Yes, I mentioned that the record had been requested by a police office and he was very determined to find out who that person was.'

'I see. Well, thank you, you've been very helpful.' Joyce went outside and caught a taxi. Monday morning should be very interesting she surmised, she wasn't about to say anything about her investigation as she rather thought the interesting dynamic would be Spikings actions. She would have liked to have warned Harry, but she was a bit stuck as she'd have to admit to snooping which she wasn't very proud of.


	6. Chapter 6

Harry walked into her office on Monday morning without any knowledge of the powder keg she was sitting on.

Bradshaw was in Spikings office and a very tense conversation was happening. Bradshaw worked for her and for Dempsey, so she was surprised that their senior officer was with one of the team as Spikings was a stickler for command lines.

Bradshaw came out looking rather annoyed and Harry called him in. 'Why were you in the Superintendent's office, is there something I should know?' The blonde officer's cool blue eyes met those of the Sergeant who looked like the cat who'd got the cream.

'I have been told to keep my mouth shut in no uncertain terms so I'm afraid I can't shed light on my conversation with Spikings.'

Harry frowned, this was very irregular, and she could see she'd have to take the issue up with Spikings. She rang the senior officer's secretary and asked for an appointment only to be told that she was expected in the Superintendent's officer at 3pm that afternoon. The information surprised her and then she saw that Spikings had called Dempsey into his office and some kind of hullabaloo was going on in there. This was extraordinary.

Joyce Hargreaves came in with a pot of tea and duly poured her a cup. 'Spikings is on form this morning he's already bawled out Bradshaw and now our American friend is being hauled over the coals. The Superintendent looked like a bulldog chewing a wasp when he arrived this morning.'

'It's very odd,' Harry looked puzzled and picked up her tea and sipped it. 'I'm going to see the Superintendent this afternoon and I have no idea what it's all about.'

Joyce had a very good idea what it was all about but was hamstrung as she'd been guilty of poking her nose in her friend's business and she felt rather ashamed of herself. 'I'm sure Dempsey will give you the head's up when he escapes from Spikings' clutches. I'd love to be a fly on that wall,' she observed the aggressive body language of the two men and trusted they wouldn't come to blows.

-oOo—

'What's up chief you don't look too happy,' Dempsey had been hauled into Spikings office and wasn't aware of any transgression as his success in the role of Chief Inspector had been nothing short of phenomenal and he was well aware of it. The Home Office were falling over themselves after a slew of positive headlines in the press, so his stock was currently high.

'Oh, you got that did you, well you're right I'm not happy,' Spikings voice expressed extreme sarcasm, 'sit down.' He lit a cigarette and leaned forward on his desk and glared at his second in command. 'I suppose I should congratulate you for leaving no stone unturned in your quest to charm every woman in the bloody country, but finding out that you are the secret husband of Detective Inspector Winfield did not improve my day!'

'Oh that,' the American ran a hand around his jaw and took a deep breath to bank down his natural response to aggression. 'We didn't want to make a big announcement about it cos everybody would talk, who else knows?'

'You're working with a bunch of detectives how long did you think it would be before someone was curious enough to investigate?' Spikings voice tone was hardly conciliatory, he was red faced and outraged that his female protégé had been impregnated by the Yank.

'Everything Harry, told you was true we're still working out where we are with things,' Dempsey ran a hand through his hair.

'Well you'd better hurry up because Dempsey Junior will be here before too long, and I expect your offspring would like Mummy and Daddy to have a plan! I'm not surprised you've managed to knock someone up, but it came as a bit of a shock that a sensible woman like D.I. Winfield would be involved.'

Dempsey could see that the chief was frustrated that teachers pet had got it on with the class clown, but I mean in the end it was between him and Harry, so he couldn't see what the boss was so agitated about. 'I married her didn't I, even asked her pop for permission and he was a damn sight more pleasant about it than you're being.'

'Well that was probably because he wants an heir for the ancestral pile, my concern is for an excellent policewoman and her future career. Everyone will think you two have been at it for years! And D.I. Winfield has had enough to put up with over the years of working with you, it's my fault I should never have partnered the two of you.'

'Well we ain't been at it for years,' Dempsey growled his own temper ramping up. 'I was upset about something and Harry was being a friend and we are where we are. It's nobody's business but ours and we're still working out what we're going to do about junior and that as they say is that.'

'Oh, so you went to Harry with a sob story and she comforted you and now this,' Spikings look apoplectic. 'You're both old enough to practice birth control, you're not bloody teenagers!'

A dull colour ran under the American's skin as he had to admit the boss had him on that one.

'What was it, you were so damned pleased to get a slice that you left your brain in your pants!'

'That's enough,' the Chief Inspector yelled back as he rose to his feet, his hands knuckle down on Spikings table as he leaned forward to confront the older man. 'It's none of your business. You don't like who Harry married, well tough. We're married we're having a baby so screw you!' He glared at the Superintendent.

'Damage control,' Spikings said through gritted teeth. 'Bradshaw, who is the soul of discretion, knows about your situation and I've shut him up by putting the fear of God into him, or the fear of me which is pretty much the same thing around here.'

The American pulled back and moved away from the Chief Superintendent's desk and ran a hand round the back of his neck. 'What are you suggesting? I want to protect Harry's career she's a good cop and she should have her chance to get on.'

'Well then, we both want the same thing,' Spikings growled. 'Lord Winfield knows the Commissioner, so I suggest we start the charm offensive at the top and let the trickledown effect happen. I'll talk to your father-in-law and see what we can do. Then I suggest you get photographed together at one of Harry's charity bashes looking suited and booted and well-groomed. We'll need to get all that in before Dempsey junior arrives, God help us.'

'Harry says she envisions a little shouty aristocrat,' Dempsey looked amused at that thought.

'Yes, well that's probably the best that can be expected, let's hope that your progeny won't veer to the wrong side of the law because the body count would affect the national crime figures. I'll talk to Harry this afternoon and I would be pleased if you would leave the office before then so that I can regain my temper and calm down.'

'Got to go to court, in fact I'm late. Go easy on Harry, it ain't her fault and she's in a delicate situation so I don't want her upset.' Dempsey glowered at the Superintendent.

'I will endeavour to handle the situation sensitively,' the Welshman glared at the Yank, 'go on, get out and do something useful like banging up villains rather than banging my most intelligent detective!'

Dempsey glared at him and then slammed the door on the way out of the Chief Superintendent's office.'

Harry got up to intercept as Dempsey exited Spikings office only to see her ex-partner disappear out of the office; she was annoyed as she'd been hoping to have a word. She could hardly call him over the RT in case he was with one of his officers. Damnit, he could have at least told her what the altercation was about.

-oOo—

At 3 p.m. Harry entered the lion's den and was surprised when Spikings secretary brought in a pot of tea, the best china and a plate of biscuits.

'Sit down D.I. Winfield,' Spikings offered kindly and poured her a cup of tea. 'I expect your wondering why I asked you to this meeting.'

'I am somewhat curious as you've had Bradshaw and Dempsey in here and now me,' she said in a slightly unsettled manner. 'The two previous meetings seemed to be somewhat acrimonious,' she added picking up her cup and taking a sip of tea.

'Yes, well let's put that to one side. The long and the short of it is that I understand that the man you are married to and the father of the baby is none other than our American import.'

Harry blushed, and her cup rattled in the saucer as she placed it back on Spikings desk. 'I see, well I suppose we couldn't keep it a secret forever, but I was rather hoping that the news wouldn't break before I went on maternity leave.'

'Well it has broken as Bradshaw saw fit to investigate your marriage at the General Register Office and I managed to intercept the Sergeant before he saw fit to announce the news to the rest of the Met.' The Superintendent didn't think it needed to be said that he'd investigated Harry's marital situation, no need for that.

'Er… thank you sir,' Harry pushed back her fringe in a restless gesture, 'I suppose we should get our announcement in first then, rather than let it appear as gossip,' she frowned annoyed at her hand being forced.

'I've talked to your father about that,' Spikings said in a careful tone. 'He regularly has meetings with the Commissioner, they're friends so he will introduce the subject and gain approval, so the information will come down from above as it were rather than up from below.'

'That was rather presumptuous if you don't mind me saying so sir,' Harry was a bit annoyed at Spikings and her father taking over.

'Possibly, but I'm trying to protect your career, girl. It's bad enough your being partnered with the American Casanova and his well-publicised charm offensive….

'I see. Well I suppose he hasn't exactly lived a monk's life while he's been over here,' she agreed ruefully. 'I'll talk to Freddy and see what can be done.'

'I've suggested to Dempsey that you get out and about to various high-profile events and get your photographs in the necessary publications and then when the news starts circulating perhaps we can all celebrate your good fortune over at the pub.'

'Super,' she picked up her tea. 'I gather you were franker about your views on our situation with the Chief Inspector?'

'Possibly,' Spikings admitted wryly. 'I suppose in some ways it all has a certain inevitability about it as your relationship changed over the years, but I must admit I hadn't expected….

'No, neither had I,' Harry agreed. 'It's all been a bit of a shock and I'm still adjusting to it.' She was very annoyed that Dempsey hadn't told her what she was in for.

'I'd stick to tea and sympathy in the future Detective Inspector or coffee if necessary,' the Superintendent smiled at her surprise at his advice.

What on earth had James shared with their senior officer?

-oOo—

'I expected you to turn up sooner or later and thank you so much for leaving me in the dark about Spikings,' she sniped as she allowed him to enter her home.

'Yeah, well I was late cos of that and I had to get to court. I told him to go easy on you so did he do that?'

'I suppose so,' she sat down on the couch and indicated he should do the same. 'What on earth did you tell him, he advised me to offer tea and sympathy in future or coffee if necessary, it was very embarrassing.'

Dempsey thought back. 'Oh yeah, well he said everyone would think we'd been doing it all along and I said we hadn't and you'd been sympathetic when I was upset.'

'Ta,' she said sarcastically as she was now aware that her boss would think she'd let herself down by having a comfort shag with the libido driven Yank. Hoisted on the petard of her own kindly nature as it were. 'Spikings mentioned your reputation as a womanizer when he told me he'd started damage limitation on my behalf. It's a damned cheek, he's even got Freddie involved with sugar coating it to the Commissioner.'

'Yeah, I put my tux and dinner jacket into the dry cleaners apparently we got to be seen out and about as the happy couple before we break the news of the bump.'

Harry ran her hands over her face obviously embarrassed. 'Did he say anything else?' She peeped through her fingers.

'Yeah, he was disparaging about my eagerness to get laid and forgetting the rubbers,' he bit his cheek to stop the smile cos it was kind of funny. Harry's groan told him she didn't think so.

'It's all right for you,' she seethed. 'They'll all be patting you on the back, Joyce already accused me of joining the Dempsey Club which apparently has a wide membership.'

'I'm a popular guy,' he lifted his shoulders in a shrug. 'Anyway, since we got this situation I've disbanded that and you're my only girl.'

He looked as if he expected a thank you. 'My hero,' she said snippily very evidently not meaning a word of it. She got up and paced the floor and then went over to her mantlepiece where several invitations were displayed. She picked them up and selected three. 'Dates and times for our coming out as it were,' she handed him the invitations. 'Put them in your notebook and dress according to the information on the invite,' she went over to the kitchen and poured them both coffee, 'cheers,' she said sarcastically.

Dempsey quite accurately intuited that this probably wasn't a good time to press her about the subject of conjugal relations as she looked really pissed.

He was right he'd have probably lost his wedding tackle if he had.


	7. Chapter 7

'So,' Dempsey twirled a pen around his fingers as he put his booted feet on Harry's desk and watched her irritation at the familiarity, 'I know I'm in the penguin suit but what are you wearing to the Famine Relief Ball, as its' our coming out party I think I should vet the dress.'

'How do you know it's a dress?' She gave him a wince of a smile unwilling to allow him any say in what she wore as a matter of principle and because she was annoyed with him, 'I often prefer a more androgynous style.'

'Yeah well, you only prefer that cos you look hot when you get dressed in your little tie and waistcoat but if you put on a dinner suit for the ball I ain't taking you.' His gaze challenged hers and his jaw squared ever so slightly, 'I've got my image to protect and I ain't going as Laurel and Hardy.'

Harry sighed with forced patience and raised her eyebrows haughtily, 'I thought we were protecting my image, I hadn't realised I had to _gussy up_ to inflate your massive ego.'

The American smirked and took his feet off her desk and leaned forward so he was closer. 'Think of this as an undercover operation Detective Inspector and then think to yourself what would I wear if I was going to a ball with the man of my dreams.'

'I'm flattered that you think I have such a vivid imagination, perhaps you would like to tell me what you think I should wear,' she rested her chin on her steepled fingers her blue eyes steady and challenging on his.

He got up and waved his arm in a flourish at the door, 'lead on. I'll come back to yours and we'll review your wardrobe and see if we can agree on something that would work.'

'No thank you, you're just going to have to trust to my judgement. I've been to a lot of these events Dempsey and there is no way I would ever let a man tell me how to dress.'

'Probably accounts for the dry spell,' he answered in a smug tone. 'Nothing's a bigger turn off than a woman who dresses for comfort,' he tried to keep a straight face when he landed that one cos he knew she'd hate that insinuation.

He was right Harry was now determined to wear a dress that would make concentration difficult for the bloody man. She was well aware that James wanted her and had a dark desire to punish him with his own stupid libido.

Dempsey knew exactly how to push Harry's buttons so he was quietly confident that she wouldn't choose some up to the neck down to the feet number that would signal a doomed evening as far as any action was concerned. If she was dressed hot and in his arms for the evening that would be a result. He was fully aware of his ability to charm a woman but it was easier if the battle armour was off.

'Freddie's chauffeur will pick you up at 7.30 p.m. tomorrow evening and then he'll drive over to my place. Please be ready on time as we don't want to be late. Photographers have been alerted as to our presence as a titillating rumour has been running that Lady Harriet Winfield will be appearing with her mystery man and I don't want to have to open the French windows and wait for the chap who delivers Milk Tray.'

He laughed at that. 'Yeah, you don't want to be piling on the calories just yet. I'll be on time. Just think of it as a con and you'll be fine.'

'No problem,' she gave him a sweet smile. 'I have difficulty thinking of it as anything else.' The look she got back could only be considered as nasty or dark and brooding if you wanted to romanticise it.

-oOo—

Harry's pulse jumped as the doorbell rang and she swallowed hard and ran her hands over her hips smoothing the dress. When she'd pulled on the dark blue, silk gown she'd been rather pleased with the affect against her lightly tanned skin. She wasn't wearing a bra as the dress had a 1920's vibe with a low décolletage at the front and a dramatic dip at the back, the waist was dropped around her hips and then the material fell to her feet. It was elegant and exuded sex appeal at the same time. 'Oh well, better get to it,' she said under her breath and got hold of a gauze wrap that went with it and pulled on her high heeled shoes.

Dempsey was getting irritated at the time it was taking her to open the door and leant on the bell. When she finally opened up he tried to school his expression into something that looked reasonably suave and debonair in other words he tried not to gawk. All right, this was going to be difficult. I mean the material was just draping over her breasts, no bra that was for sure and her nipples looked nice and perky and were saying hello.

'Are you sure that's going to stay on,' he couldn't help the question. I mean the balance of silk against skin looked precarious.

'I'd wager that's the first time you've ever said that to a woman,' she smirked in condescending way that she knew got right up his nose.

'Ha, very funny. The thing is Makepeace…

'It's Winfield now and on the marriage license it says Dempsey-Winfield,' she pulled the door behind her and walked to the car, 'try and remember our names it's the first rule of a good cover.'

'The thing is that this is us making things respectable and we ain't gonna do that if the damned, dress falls off.' He opened the car door for her.

'Well, it won't fall off,' she gave him a cool, disdainful glance, 'it's ball not a barn dance although I'm sure you would be more comfortable at the latter.'

'Hurtful,' he remarked wryly. 'Do you think we might get to a ceasefire before they take our pictures cos I'm pretty sure you giving me that look you just gave me and my manly jaw squaring ain't the look we're going for.'

Harry sense of humour rescued the moment and she tried to subdue a smile and failed.

They drew up to the venue and Dempsey got out of the car and the chauffeur opened the door for Harry. James leaned in and helped her out getting a nice shot down her cleavage as he did so. 'Showtime,' he growled at her, his voice dropping in sync with the view.

-oOo—

Angela was the first to greet them. 'Hello darlings, you both look absolutely gorgeous. It's a frightful squeeze and the press are everywhere so remember to pose accordingly.'

'Dempsey thinks my dress is dangerous,' the blonde responded as she tucked her hand into the crook of James' arm. 'My family are here James, you've met most of them but not as my husband so let's start with them.'

'Are you sure, cos a bunch of shooting eyebrows ain't gonna look good on the photos,' he smirked at that.

'They've given up on me after the divorce and the career choice so marriage to an American from Brooklyn might be seen as a hat-trick.'

'Two out of three ain't bad,' he kissed her temple. 'Maybe in time we'll get three out of three.'

'You're talking in riddles. Uncle Duffy,' she greeted the older man, 'you've met James, he's finally made an honest woman of me,' she smiled in an engaging fashion, 'he's now officially my plus one.'

'I did hear a rumour,' a benign smile accompanied his words, 'I always thought you might make a go of it. Your cousins are cut up about it as they were quite taken with your American friend.'

Dempsey smiled at that as he appreciated admiration from the fairer sex. 'Well, I'm sorry to disappoint the ladies but I got my little piece of paradise right here.' They exchanged a few more pleasantries and moved on. 'Which cousins,' he queried in a low tone and got his foot impaled by a high heel.

'You're standing on my foot,' he said through gritted teeth, 'no need to be jealous babe, I only got eyes for you.'

'Sorry, I hadn't realised,' she glibly lied and removed her foot. 'Araminta and Tabitha probably, they were dancing around you like mayflies on Christmas Eve. Please don't call me babe, I hate it, it sounds like you've forgotten my name.'

'Never forget your name Pookie,' he responded playfully as he ran his arm around her waist enjoying the feel of her warm body through the silk. 'Okay, who's next.'

'Basil, Camilla etcetera they're over in the far corner, I wish I could drink it would make this a lot easier.'

'Nah, it's easy enough, they all think we've been at it for years,' he guided her over and they listened to all the self-congratulations as everyone said they knew about the two of them all along and when was the party.

General Arbuthnot Calder-Winfield was not such a push over he eyed Dempsey through a monocle and harrumphed. 'You've done very well for yourself young man,' he sounded affronted. 'I don't know what Freddie was thinking of; you've been a disappointment to your father Harriet.'

Harry took that in her stride whilst she could feel James bristling at her side. Old fossils like her uncle didn't necessarily appeal to Dempsey's democratic ideals.

'Now, Uncle Notty you know that isn't true,' she smiled fondly at the old gentleman, 'it's the 1980's we must all move with the times and my father has a very modern outlook.'

'Harry ain't a disappointment to anyone,' the American eye balled the General, 'she's a dedicated police officer and a loyal and committed daughter sounds like a win to me. But you're right on one count, I'm a very lucky man,' he raised their joined hands to his mouth and kissed hers.

Uncle Notty didn't looked convinced but as he was fond of his niece he kissed her cheek and gave them both his reluctant congratulations.

'Where did you dig up the General,' Dempsey gave her a disapproving look, 'you got any more like that.'

'Yes, it's called having a family. They come in a variety of flavours, my father is a lot more forward looking than most of his generation so don't be surprised if we get more of that. Most of them disapprove of my job, I think I told you that. The police are looked down on whereas the military life or the clergy have always been a calling for second sons as long as one is a General or a Bishop of course. The judiciary are tolerated as well with an eye to the incumbent progressing to the House of Lords.'

'From what I've seen of the forces the police are a damn site better when it comes to command lines,' his warm gaze teased hers, 'don't tell Spikings I said that.'

'I wouldn't dream of it,' she said in mock protest. 'Look romantic James, I spy a camera lens pointed in our direction.' She was somewhat shocked when Dempsey dropped his head and dropped a sting of a kiss on her mouth. It didn't last long but what it lacked in duration it made up for in intensity.

'You obscured my face,' she pouted trying to deal with her reaction to the unexpected intimacy. Her lips were stinging and she was fighting the urge to touch them with her fingertips.

'Whirlwind romance they'll expect it, carried away by the strength of our passion.' He picked up a glass of champagne from the waiter. 'You got any soft drinks for the lady,' he asked the guy. Minutes later a selection of non-alcoholic drinks turned up and he thanked the waiter leaving a tip on his tray.

'You're not supposed to tip them,' she informed him didactically knowing he wouldn't take a blind bit of notice of that.

'American's always tip generously, ensures good service and the guy went out of his way to be helpful. You British are mean that way,' he clinked his glass against hers. 'If you wanted a stuffed shirt you got knocked up by the wrong guy.'

'Didn't I just,' she agreed sipping her drink and trying not to let the bubble of laughter escape. Dempsey had always been irreverent of rank, he respected people by the quality of their actions not by their inherited privileges. It worked well in her world because rank and title didn't faze him. To give him his due he was never rude until he found a reason to be. He had an uncanny ability to detect people who were fakes, the nose knows she supposed.

Freddie joined them with a benign smile on his features. 'Well the news of your wedding has circulated with a number of varied responses. We will be expected to provide a party at some point but you can choose your moment for that. I think we can take it that we have successfully announced the happy event.'

Harry nodded, 'we have two more evenings to complete and then we can let the gossips do the rest for us. It's remarkable how quickly news circulates.'

While Harry and her Pop had been talking James had allowed his gaze to wander over Harry in the blue silk dress. She looked fantastic and he had a strong desire to take her in his arms. 'Dance with me,' Dempsey growled as he guided her away from her father after a polite, 'excuse us,' and took her onto the floor. It was a slow number which he favoured. 'So, we're becoming legit,' his dark eyes met her cool blue gaze. 'It'll be this week's conversation over coffee and then something else'll crop up and we'll be old news.'

'Yes, I suppose so. You know we really didn't think any of this through,' she frowned at that thought. At the time all she'd thought about was protecting her reputation perhaps that had been a knee jerk reaction to the circumstances. 'I mean marriage is an awfully big step and we just bounced into it as if we were applying for a T.V. license.'

Dempsey seriously hoped Harry was in denial because he'd thought about it quite a bit. That night they'd shared had shown him how shallow his previous romantic skirmishes had been. 'It is a big step,' his mouth feathered her temple, 'and I think I may have given it a little bit more thought than you did.'

Harry's head shot up and she gave him a searching look. 'What do you mean?'

'Talk about it another time,' he soothed her, 'remember the cover, we're supposed to look like lovers,' his mouth brushed hers and then deepened the caress.

Harry was confused. His kiss seriously undermined her cool façade as her jaw relaxed and allowed him to explore the soft recesses of her mouth. Trust Dempsey to take advantage of the situation. She could hardly reject him as they were on public show. The fact that she didn't want to reject him did sail across her conscious mind only to be ignored.

He raised his head as the kiss had seriously unsettled him, he wanted more and this wasn't the time or the place. She looked beautiful, her mouth was full from his kiss and her colour was heightened with any other woman he would be looking forward to the night ahead.

'I think we've been convincing enough,' her voice was husky and sounded languorous, for heaven's sake pull yourself together she chided her aberrant self.

'I was convinced,' a smile tugged at his lips. 'You're one hell of a kisser, Harry. He caught her hand and led her off the dance floor and they did the round of goodbyes before they left. It had been a successful evening Dempsey concluded in more ways than one.

-oOo-


	8. Chapter 8

Harry felt very self-conscious at work as her father's meeting with the Commissioner had taken place and the trickledown would start. She'd also appeared at a number of high profile events with the Chief Inspector and had a number of photos appear in the gossip columns.

At the weekend she'd bought new clothes which didn't hug her figure quite so much. She still wasn't showing much but she wanted to disguise the bump for as long as possible.

As she approached the coffee area she could hear Bradshaw sounding off.

'So nice photo in the Tatler, my missus showed me it. The boss and blondie at some kind of shindig, nudge, nudge, wink, wink say no more.' He was hoping the other officers would twig so he could gossip it was killing him not to say anything.'

Watson sounded unimpressed. 'They always went to stuff like that together Jim was her plus one at those kinds of events.'

'Yeah, well she's got a husband now so don't you think that's a bit odd?' Bradshaw thought the rest of them were lousy detectives if they hadn't worked out something funny was going on.

'Maybe the guy didn't fancy going,' the West Indian detective muttered. He didn't like Bradshaw that much.

Steve gave up because he couldn't go any further without retribution from Spikings.

Harry walked off not wanting to hear anymore as she felt awkward enough as it was.

-oOo-

'Nice photo,' Joyce remarked showing the magazine to Harry,' they've got your good side and Dempsey looks very smart.'

'Yes, he does, doesn't he?' Harry picked up the magazine and gave a sigh. 'You were right in the first place Joyce,' she held up her hand with the rings displayed.

'Well at least you've ended up as the Chairperson of the Dempsey Club with all the attendant regalia,' Joyce smiled glad to be able to talk about it at last. 'Was it a sudden thing or have you been engaged in an undercover romance,' Joyce asked with a smile.

'It's er….. Let's go and have a coffee over at Paulo's,' she suggested rather pleased to have a like-minded soul to talk to.' She trusted Joyce and should have talked to her in the first place.

They picked up their bags and went over the road from the offices to a small coffee house. Once they'd got their beverages they sat down and faced each other.

'So, what happened?' Joyce's catlike gaze quizzed the other woman. 'How long has it been going on, it was obvious there was attraction on both sides?'

'Really,' Harry looked thoughtful. 'Well I care about Dempsey, I think I told you that when I resigned that time. He told me that he would resign if I didn't come back to work as he didn't want to work at SI10 or in London without me and then we both got cold feet and left it at that.'

'And then obviously things moved on,' the older woman prompted and you got engaged and married in very short order.'

Harry felt her cheeks heating, 'y-e-s.' She picked up her coffee and looked pensive.

'And…..

'Well, it wasn't exactly… Oh for heaven's sake, I'm in such a mess,' she ran her hands over her face. 'James came to see me because it was the anniversary of a painful occasion in his life, something that haunts him.'

'I see. So, he needed your support,' Joyce prompted gently. 'Well that's understandable he's not a man to talk about emotion and you've worked closely together and had a lot of high octane situations. Not subject matter for the airheads he dates.'

'No, that's it exactly.' Harry said eagerly. 'He was in a lot of emotional pain and I gave him a hug because if anybody needed a hug it was James.'

'And the hug became something else,' Hargreaves filled in the gaps. 'That was before he went on that people trafficking operation when he came back you were both awkward with each other. Chas and I remarked on it.'

Harry was often surprised at how interested people were in the two of them. 'Yes, that's right.'

'And then when he came back he professed undying love for you and you got engaged,' Joyce added with a bright smile.

'Not exactly, I'm pregnant so it was a bit more of a shotgun approach. Well it wasn't really because Dempsey said we should get married to protect my reputation and career. So here we are.'

'You had sex on one night, got pregnant and now you're married,' Joyce looked surprised. 'So, neither of you took the necessary precautions because you were too caught up in the moment?'

'That's it in a nutshell, we're currently just socialising the wedding news. Spikings discussed it with my father and it's just been so awkward.'

'And that's why Dempsey didn't mind flaunting that blonde in your face,' Joyce's eyes narrowed.

'No, not exactly. He's finished that now or so he says but we're not together in that way,' she ran a hand through her hair clutching it which imitated a gesture from her ex-partner. 'Although, James thinks it would be convenient if we were.'

'I'll bet,' Joyce responded with some vigour. 'Well you have respectability but on the other hand you have a husband who's something of a challenge.'

'Yes, well that's a bit of an understatement. I can't tell you how awkward it all is. I've got my head around having a baby as my biological clock is clanging away but having a baby Dempsey is something I had never dreamt about.'

'How did your father take it,' Joyce added sugar to her coffee. 'Did he read him the riot act.'

'No, Freddie thought it was all jolly good, told me it was about time I got along with providing him with a grandchild and he likes Dempsey so he's quite cheerful.'

'I heard about the scene in the archives which makes a lot of sense now,' Joyce smiled. 'Well, what are you going to do about your husband? I mean are you hoping for a normal marriage in the future?'

'Don't be ridiculous Joyce, it's Dempsey we're talking about. He doesn't believe in marriage, I've heard him wax lyrical on the subject any time over the last four years. He thinks it's like having to eat the same meal every day of your life and as he would say who would want to do that?'

'Yes, but he likes you Harry and you're having a baby and that has an effect on men as well as women, I would say that you might achieve some kind of harmony. I mean you wouldn't let him get away with much would you?'

'I know him too well for that to happen,' she said with a determined look. 'Thanks for listening Joyce, the situation has been very isolating.'

'Yes, I can imagine.' The older woman looked thoughtful. 'Well you know I won't pass any information on so if you want a sounding board I'm here.'

'Thanks Joyce,' she smiled at her friend and then saw the woman look a little shamefaced.

'I have a confession,' Joyce looked awkward. 'I went to St. Katherine's House to check the General Register, so I knew about the marriage.'

'Joyce!' Harry was aghast.

'And, two other people had checked it out before me so when you think about it I showed greater restraint than others.'

'Bradshaw,' Harry said in an annoyed tone, 'and…

'Spikings,' Hargreaves responded feeling a little better that their senior officer had similarly transgressed.

'I wasn't aware my private life was so fascinating,' the blonde officer retorted in a bit of a snit.

'Yes, well old marrieds' we get a bit bored I suppose,' Joyce said airily. 'And we're all detectives when you come down to it, we're paid to be nosy.'

'I suppose so, well please don't tell anyone about the pregnancy I'm trying to keep that as quiet as possible until I can scoot out the door on maternity leave.'

'Yes, Bradshaw would have a field day with that, 'hot blonde with bun in the oven,' Hargreaves added with relish.

-oOo—

Dempsey could see the trickledown was working as the guys kept on slapping him on the back and saying well done. He could see why Harry would hate it. She was something of a trophy wife. I mean when you thought about it, the blonde was gorgeous. I mean that night she'd been so generous, warm and unbelievably sexy, he'd relived it a thousand times. He wondered if they would've ever got round to it if he hadn't cried on her shoulder metaphorically. I mean she'd certainly made him feel better, like a million per cent. He'd never cursed the job before but he did the next morning when he had to run off. Maybe she'd been pleased about that, saved the awkward conversation. He'd just given her a quick kiss and scrambled into his clothes.

Harry was working in her office and she was looking very pretty, the clothes she was wearing didn't cling as much as usual and he supposed that was because of his baby. He wondered what the kid would be like, I mean they'd have that bond forever, it made them family. She hadn't terminated the pregnancy so she'd obviously wanted it and that made him feel good cos he kind of wanted it too.

He'd have to start thinking a bit more about the undercover work because technically he shouldn't do it now he was a Chief Inspector. And now he was going to be a dad he'd have to consider that. I mean he liked the adrenaline thrill of it all but maybe he could get that by getting Harry to be his wife, wife. I mean that night she'd seemed to really enjoy the sex, I mean she couldn't have faked any of that. So that must mean she was attracted to him even if she didn't necessarily want to be. That rankled though the thought she might not want to like him that way, was that cos he wasn't an aristocrat like her. He didn't think she was like that, maybe it was his reputation as a lady's man she didn't like. I mean he'd been single so why should that be a problem, he'd already stopped all that.

He supposed he'd have to ask her. They'd have to sort all that out and he hated those conversations, so maybe he'd wait from a sign from her but then they'd be dancing around each other again never getting anywhere. Joey had done him one favour at the very least cos his grief around that had led to Harry.

-oOo-

Harry looked at the fast food Dempsey had brought around for them to share and her stomach turned over. 'I don't think I can eat that,' she looked pale at the thought.

'Too fatty,' he looked at the Chinese. You usually like this. Is it the baby causing that,' he looked at her curiously?

'Probably,' she made some toast and sat down with that. 'I have a scan coming up,' she told him as she buttered the toast and he forked up some of the egg fried rice.

'When,' he looked over at her, 'I'll come,' he confirmed. He saw that she looked a bit awkward about that. 'Harry, I've seen you naked,' he reminded her with a smile hovering around his mouth. 'Seeing your stomach with that gel on it ain't gonna freak me.'

'Well it might freak me,' she drank some water. 'I'm rather nervous about it as it is.' She had to admit she was scared that the doctor might say there was something wrong but on the other hand she wanted the reassurance that it was all going well. Having Dempsey there made her feel awkward she was used to facing difficult situations on her own.

'It'll be fine and anyway you need to get used to me being around because I want to be a full-time father to the bump. Can they tell us whether it's a boy or a girl, I'd like to know how about you?'

Harry shook her head. 'I want to look forward to finding out when the baby is born the anticipation will help with the painful process of giving birth.' She played back what he'd just said. 'What do you mean you want to be a full-time father?' She was happy for him to have a role but full-time would be difficult he'd be at work and he lived a couple of miles away.

'You're going to need help and I don't want to be the baby daddy who visits every now and then, I want to move in.' He could see that had surprised her but he was determined to move them closer to being… normal.

'Are you joking?' Harry's blue gaze searched his. 'Are you suggesting we live together full time? You keep surprising me Dempsey,' she acknowledged as he nodded. 'Where did Mr. Free and Easy disappear to; your acting totally out of character?'

'Well the baby situation threw me a little bit. I'd never thought I'd be a dad so the whole situation is out of my comfort zone but I think we should give it a whirl and see if it works. Unless you got some guy in the mix who would object?'

'James,' Harry said in a patient tone, 'we're like chalk and cheese. We get along well at a certain level but living together,' she threw up her hands. 'You're untidy, you watch sports all the time and when you do it's hard, no it's impossible to gain your attention and what about your diet of junk food? I don't want my refrigerator contaminated with e numbers.'

'Now that is why you're gonna end up as a lonely, old broad with a cat,' he admonished her. 'You've got to show flexibility in a relationship, princess. You can write down a list of things that I do that tick you off and I'll try and adapt my behaviour.'

'And what about the things that I do that get right up your nose,' she asked raising her eyebrows in a humorous fashion, 'will I get a list too?'

'Damn right,' he shot back at her. 'It's called compromise, when do we start?'

'No, no, no, no,' Harry wagged her finger, 'I didn't agree to your suggestion. I think living together would be a major, no a catastrophic mistake.'

'Well I think you're wrong and the only way we can work that out is to try,' he offered her a king prawn and saw her blench. 'I'll bring my stuff over tomorrow, I'll start off in the spare room and then we can discuss what comes next when I'm here.'

Harry stared at him with a look of confusion, 'what didn't you understand about catastrophic mistake?'

'Well it's like this, there are times when I have to encourage you to widen your horizons cos without me spinning your wheels you'd be an uptight, born-again virgin.'

'I would, would I,' Harry steely blue eyes met his, 'James, it may interest you to know that my universe does not revolve around you.'

'Give me time Harry,' he said tongue in cheek, 'give me time.'


	9. Chapter 9

'So, he's moved in,' Joyce gave Harry a questioning glance as she picked up her coffee and toast. 'How did that happen?'

'I'm not entirely sure. He said he wanted to be a full-time father and we should try living together and the next thing I know he arrives with a car full of his stuff and he's occupying my spare room. He has a mobile phone now so at least his calls aren't coming to my number.'

Harry found a spare table in the crowded canteen and went to get a cloth to soak up the spilt tea and coffee on the table. 'It's very busy in here this morning there must be a training course on or something?'

'Why didn't you tell him to take his belongings back to his place,' Hargreaves asked with idle curiosity, 'did you want him to move in?'

'No, I didn't,' Harry forked her fingers through her fringe. 'I don't know why I didn't. Dempsey's an unstoppable force when he wants to do something and over the years I suppose, I've gone along with it, a bit.' The, 'a bit,' sounded rather pathetic when she vocalised it. 'I suppose it's his absolute certainty that he's right that wins the day. Anyway, so far, he's been very careful not to upset me and last night he made this fantastic pasta sauce, I was quite impressed. Do I sound as pathetic as I feel?'

'Yes,' Joyce responded automatically. 'You seem to have become an absolute doormat. I mean I'm sorry Harry but you feel sorry for him so you have sex, conceive a baby and now he's moved in. What next, matching jumpers?'

Harry looked horrified at that thought. 'I don't think that will be his next move, I think his next move will be along the lines of a man has needs.'

'Oh, I see you've managed to hold back on the sex, well done. I'm sure he'll be convinced he's right about that as well,' Joyce add sarcastically.

'Shut up, Joyce.' Harry was annoyed at her lack of fortitude and didn't need her friend rubbing it in. 'I suppose I'm going to have to stand firm,' she mused out loud.

'Good luck with that,' Joyce drank the rest of her coffee. 'Well, you never know you might rub along together reasonably well and then you can be a couple of old marrieds just like me and Mike.'

Harry felt rather disturbed at that suggestion. 'No offence Joyce, but I haven't been a newly married yet; give me a chance.'

-oOo—

'It's nice you know, having someone to come home to,' Dempsey put the shopping away seeming to know instinctively where things should go in her kitchen. 'I've lived on my own for so long I guess I got used to it.'

'I see. Are you saying you prefer having company,' she picked up the pasta sauce he'd bought, 'you do know that this is full of sugar. I prefer to make my own sauce,' she put it in the cupboard.

'You're right but that's for back up when we're both too tired to get round to it.' A smile tugged at his mouth as he thought he'd adeptly fielded the criticism.

'I find it quite strange having you as a permanent resident. I'm not even entirely sure how it happened?' She sat down at the breakfast bar. 'What's happening with your apartment, have you given up the lease.'

'Fry's using it, he's moved out of his mother's home so it's his first taste of freedom and he is now currently paying my mortgage which is nice for me.' He opened the fridge and stored the chicken, milk and eggs.

'Well the bedroom will probably see less traffic,' Harry replied sarcastically as she popped the kettle on to make herself an herbal tea.

'I've given all that up cos I got you,' he turned to face her. 'I ain't a fan of celibacy though but whatever it takes,' his warm eyes teased her.

'You haven't got me,' she responded batting him off as she had a million times. 'I'm only pregnant because I felt sorry for you; it was a moment of weakness.'

'Do you regret it? I mean do you wish it hadn't happened, that you weren't having a baby,' his dark eyes monitored her expression and he could see he'd got her with that question.

'I don't know how to answer that question,' she responded honestly. 'I suppose now I'm having the baby I wouldn't want anything to happen to it.'

'What about it being my baby? Would you prefer it was some anonymous sperm donor?' He came towards her and could see he had her rattled.

Harry crossed her arms across her chest defensively and frowned. 'I'd rather know who the baby's father is,' she answered awkwardly.

Dempsey ran his hands down from her shoulders to her elbows and then he uncrossed her arms and pulled her into his embrace. 'So, you're glad it's my baby,' he nuzzled her temple.

'Now that's twisting my words, what I actually said was that I didn't want my baby's father to be anonymous.' She looked up at him, 'is this the bit where you say a man has needs,' she asked in a matter of fact tone.

'Nope, I ain't that stupid,' he kissed her forehead and let her go. 'And anyway, it's a mutual thing making love and as I remember you were playing your part with enthusiasm when we made the baby.'

She turned away and poured her tea, 'I like to think that if I do something I do it well,' a smile touched her lips. 'Anyway, as you said it was emotional and you rarely show emotion James so perhaps that was the charm.'

'So, what you're saying is that you want me to be some kind of sap who talks about feelings all the time, well that ain't gonna happen cos it ain't in my DNA.' He gave her an interrogative glance, 'you don't overshare either come to think of it.'

'It looks like a desperate situation maybe Fry will get more action than you,' she blew gently on the tea to cool it down.

'No need to be nasty,' he responded with dry humour as he poured out the coffee. 'This conversation is turning me on cos at least we're talking about sex even if we aren't doing it.'

'You're obviously easily aroused,' she remarked with cool disdain as she wandered into the lounge with her tea and sat down. She was very aware of him as he followed and sat down beside her.

'I've been here a month now, how's that going for you?' He turned sideways so he was looking at her, 'I'm comfortable with you, it seems right.'

'Simone said that, she thought we were comfortable with each other,' she looked thoughtful. 'It hasn't been as difficult as I thought it might be,' she admitted as she sipped her tea. 'I suppose, I've got used to you over the years sitting side by side in a car or across a desk. We're like two old slippers,' she remarked with amusement as she knew that wasn't the image he was going for.

'Okay, I'm gonna ask you a question and I don't want you to make fun or be sarcastic,' his dark gaze ran over her appreciating her blonde, blue eyed beauty. 'We're married and we got the baby, and we're living together.'

'All true,' she looked at him expectantly because she thought she knew what the question was going to be.

'How do you feel about me? Am I just a friend you had a moment of weakness with when the stars were aligned or could you see yourself as my girl, my wife.'

'Is this about sex, Dempsey?' Her response was like a bucket of cold water being thrown onto the conversation.

'I was talking about feelings, yours for me,' he growled. 'I'm not just trying to get my leg-over I'm talking about a relationship.'

'Well in that case I would ask you the same question, how do you feel about me?' Her blue eyes met his and the challenge was there in her expression. She wasn't about to give up anything if he wasn't.

'I'm not dating anyone else,' he protested. 'I'm here ain't I, what do you think?' He knew she wanted him to get all mushy and he felt very uncomfortable.

'That's not an answer, James.' Harry relaxed back sipping her tea as she knew he wouldn't answer the question adequately because it would kill him to say he needed her.

'Well, actually to answer the question,' he paused and took a deep breath as this was killing him, 'I think… well I pretty much know, have known for a while, that I'm in love with you.'

Harry's relaxed pose became frozen and her eyes widened in shock; she had a mental picture of her hair standing on end. 'You're in love with me,' she frowned and tried to quickly regroup, 'are you sure?'

To the vastly uncomfortable male part of the duo D.I. Winfield sounded liked she was on a case, verifying the facts. 'Yeah, I'm sure,' he was annoyed she'd ask him that cos she didn't look like she believed him and that had been hard to say.

'Goodness,' she responded in a distracted manner. 'I have to admit I'm in shock,' she got up and went back into the kitchen wishing she could have a glass of wine or a shot of vodka.

'That's it, you just walk off,' Dempsey followed her and looked impressively moody which always did something to Harry's hormones. 'How about you, what do you feel?' He had to admit that sounded bad tempered but her reaction had pissed him off.

'I… I'm not sure what I feel,' she responded awkwardly. 'I hadn't thought you felt that way about me and… is this about sex Dempsey?'

'Screw it,' he growled and went and poured himself a large whisky and went to his room and slammed the door.

'Oh dear,' Harry grimaced. That hadn't gone well. She replayed the earlier scene where he'd made his declaration and she smiled wrapping her arms around her body and hugging herself. James would hate the fact he'd exposed his feelings and she felt rather pleased about it. The blonde decided to cook a nice meal as a peace offering. A warm feeling wrapped itself round her heart and she hummed a little tune. It became obvious to her that she was rather flattered by his declaration. What she didn't know was how to respond because she hadn't been expecting him to say that, never in a million years.

When the meal was ready she knocked on his door, 'I've made dinner,' she popped her head round the door. He was laid on the bed with his hands behind his head. She went in and sat down next to him and held his gaze. 'I'm sorry, I was shocked by what you said,' she offered her gaze soft on his. 'I shouldn't have reduced it to sex that was very wrong of me.'

'How do you feel Harry, that was the question?' His dark eyes searched hers and he could see she wasn't any more comfortable discussing her emotions than he was.

'I have feelings for you James, I'm just not sure yet. Do you think you could give me time to get used to…

'Get used to what, me having feelings like that for you? What is it, you want some kind of proof it wasn't' just a line?' That made him as mad as hell. 'You think I said that to get you into bed?' He laughed without humour. 'Honey, I don't find it that hard to get laid,' he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed and got up in one swift movement. 'When you're ready to talk to me you know where I am,' he left the bedroom.

'Oh dear,' she said under her breath as she followed him out and joined him at the dining table. She ladled out the food and got herself a glass of water and offered him a glass of wine. They ate in silence at first and then gradually started to chat about their day until they were comfortable again.

'You continually surprise me,' she said softly. 'I think I have you all worked out and then you jump out of the box.'

He shrugged nonchalantly going for casual while trying to work out where they were. 'I told you, you need me to spin your wheels, sweetheart. Breathe some life back into the statue, you know like the story of Galatea.'

'I know the story,' she sipped her water and her blue eyes met his and then she laughed softly, 'perhaps you will.'

'Will what?' He looked puzzled.

'Breathe some life into me, well I think you already have,' she patted her stomach. She got up and walked around the table and sat on his knee and linked her arms around his neck.

'What's this,' his arms held her to him. This was nice but he was still the one out on a limb. The, 'I'm in love with you,' was still booming around Camberwell Gardens ricocheting off the walls. 'You've got to say it back,' he growled, as he traced her jawline with his fingertip creating a sensual almost hypnotic connection between them.

'I'm not ready yet,' she kissed him softly totally caught up in the moment and was surprised when he gently pushed her off his knee.

'I think I need to prove a point,' he growled as he got up. 'It ain't just sex, Harry, it's more than that and if you don't feel it I'm not getting in deeper.' He turned the T.V. onto a football game and spent the next hour criticising the sport.

Harry sighed and wondered why things were never easy with Dempsey, he played hard ball if he didn't get his own way. It was typical of the way he blew through her life. He'd decided he loved her so now she had to agree to love him back, it was annoying but that was the way he rolled... as he would put it.

-oOo-


	10. Chapter 10

Harry sat staring at the glossy magazine in the Doctor's waiting room and she jumped slightly as Dempsey breezed in and sat down next to her. 'You nervous,' he asked as he assessed her body language, she was tense that much was obvious.

I am now, Harry thought and a faint colour suffused her skin. Having her ex-partner at the appointment made her feel awkward. It confirmed their intimacy on that night as a hard to ignore fact. 'Yes, a bit,' she acknowledged trying to keep a stiff upper lip. 'I'll feel better after the scan,' she flicked through the magazine not really registering the content and trying to adjust to the emotional impact of his presence. It felt intimate, embarrassing even, to allow him into her medical appointment.

'Ms Winfield,' the receptionist indicated that Harry should go in, and the prospective mother got up and went into the consulting room and Dempsey followed.

The doctor hadn't met James before so Harry felt obliged to introduce him. 'Good morning Dr Mathews, this is my… the baby's father,' the blonde detective explained the American's presence.

'I'm her husband,' Dempsey corrected her introduction as he felt it lacked something. 'The names James Dempsey, my wife kept her maiden name.'

Harry got onto the bed and self-consciously lifted her top to reveal her abdomen as requested. She shivered slightly as the cold gel was put on her naked stomach, when the doctor put the scanner over the slight bump a whooshing sound was heard.

'What's that?' Dempsey asked hoping it was a good sound, he'd imagined being a dad and was invested in the outcome.

'That's the baby's heartbeat,' the doctor added frowning. 'I'm just going to check on something,' he moved the sensor over Harry's stomach a number of times and studied the image.

At this point both Harry and James were feeling anxious about the baby's well-being and they were both holding their breath waiting for the doctor's diagnosis.

'I think that we may have two babies here,' the medic took a number of images totally ignoring the look of shock on the faces of the two prospective parents.

'Two,' Harry said weakly refusing to look at the sperm donor, her mind reeling with the unexpected information. That couldn't be right, she couldn't possibly be having two babies. If she was it was just typical of her luck vis a vis Dempsey. I mean one night of hot sex in four years and now this. Unbelievable!

'Yes, I'm pretty sure it's two.' The doctor printed off the sonogram and then indicated to the dumbstruck couple where he felt the two baby images were.

Both parents were finding it difficult to focus on the blurred images and were highly conscious of what the other might be thinking and feeling. Dempsey kept glancing at Harry who was very obviously ignoring him, not thrilled was his guess.

Dempsey was the first to recover, 'we were kind of only expecting the one,' he gave what could only be called a nervous laugh. He was totally knocked off balance and Harry seemed incapable of speech but he knew that expression. She had that look on her. He recognised it from some of the scrapes he'd gotten her into. Not saying anything but thinking plenty. 'Can you tell the sex yet?'

'Not yet, we may be able to tell on the next scan.' The doctor gave the expectant mother tissues to wipe of the gel and beamed at them both. I suggest regular visits as you're having twins and my secretary will call you to schedule them in.

'And they're both all right,' Harry eventually found her voice and questioned the doctor as he hadn't said anything about the health of the babies.

'Yes, they're both fine, congratulations,' he smiled at them both and could see that they were busy digesting the information.

Harry walked out of the doctor's office, her spine stiff with outrage and got into the passenger seat of her car, she didn't trust herself to drive and stared straight forward.

Dempsey got in and put his hand out for the keys appreciating she might not be in the mood to drive them back, not safely anyway. The keys were plonked into his hand in a gesture that could only be called snippy. He turned in the seat to observe her mutinous features, 'bit of a shock,' he offered awkwardly.

A bit of a shock, a bit of a shock Harry repeated to herself in a parrot like fashion before she launched into speech. 'I can't believe it! I simply cannot believe it although why I'm surprised at anything to do with you I don't know.'

Dempsey had kind of accepted that it would be his fault, the over sexed Yank personae was obviously riding high in Harry's analysis of the situation. Still, he didn't think stereotyping like that was gonna be helpful and her aggression sparked him off. 'Oh, that's nice,' he responded sarcastically. 'Well at least you got a ready-made family and we only had one shot at it.'

'I distinctly remember more than one shot at it,' the blonde sniped back. 'You're nothing if not thorough,' she said through gritted teeth condemning him for his sexual stamina and totally ignoring her own part in that fateful night.

Yeah, definitely his fault he acknowledged and stupidly tried to make things better. 'Good job I moved in, your gonna need more help than I thought,' he fired the engine and drove them back to the office. 'From a career point of view, I guess having the two at once saves time, you know you don't have to be off work for so long.'

'Shut up, Dempsey,' Harry said in a tight voice as her brain was reeling with the news she'd received and she wasn't up to seeing the bright side just yet. One baby was manageable but two babies…. 'I'll be as big as a house,' she said in a terse tone.

'Yeah, you're gonna be enormous,' he agreed probably unwisely. 'I told you, you should finish work at six months cos I think people are gonna notice that the marriage was a rush job.'

'There are times when I could cheerfully shoot you, Dempsey and this is one of them. Please stay out of my way for the rest of the day or I can't be held responsible.'

'Hey, it takes two to tango princess and I don't get how this is my fault,' he defended himself although he appreciated anything he said at this point was likely to be met with hostility.

'I should have known even pregnancy wouldn't be simple if you were involved. I think you were put on this planet to make my life difficult,' she added venomously.

'Suit yourself, I'll make dinner tonight seeing as you're eating for three and you can get some rest cos popping out two of them ain't gonna be a picnic.' He could see that remark had gone down like a lead balloon.

'Thank you, Captain Obvious,' the blonde responded sarcastically as he parked the car; she got out and stalked off to the office.

'What did I do?' He lifted his hands expressively as he viewed her fleeing figure. He got it, it was all his fault. Her biological clock had been ticking but now it had exploded and that… well that would take time to adjust to. The spare room looked like it might be a permanent feature of his life and crossing the landing, an iron man feat. Sex wouldn't be that attractive with a guy who could deliver a multiple pregnancy that was for sure.

-oOo—

'Twins,' Joyce said in an awestruck voice, 'Golly!' She digested the information and felt rather sorry for Harry, the dark-haired officer had had three children and having one at a time was difficult enough. 'Well you've certainly hit the jackpot with your act of compassion.'

'Haven't I just,' Harry drank her tea with a set expression on her face, 'I don't have to tell you how shocked I was to hear that,' she picked up a biscuit and ate it as her appetite had definitely increased and she wondered if that had anything to do with the psychological impact of the doctor's diagnosis.

'You'll be enormous,' Joyce added without really thinking about the effect of her words.

'That would seem to be the general consensus,' Harry responded irritably. 'I still can't believe it, I mean one baby Dempsey seems enough for any female to cope with but two baby Dempsey's is bloody unfair.'

'Well let's hope they take after their mother as far as their temperament goes otherwise you're going to be in for a difficult time.' Joyce thought that was the understatement of the year.

'Yes, two shouty little aristocrats weren't exactly in the plan,' the blonde officer replied in an acid tone. 'They're hardly likely to be easy babies with their genetic inheritance. I don't think that centuries of blue blood are going to iron out Dempsey's effect on the gene pool.'

'Hmmm,' Joyce was non-committal but had to admit Harry made a fair point. The American's arrival in the Met had been a seismic event and she would imagine the Winfield line was probably going to feel the impact. 'Another cup of tea,' she offered in what she hoped was a cheerful tone.

'Why not,' Harry said grimly wishing she'd taken the day off. 'Dempsey's view is that having two babies won't impact my career as much as I'll have a ready-made family.'

'What a uniquely male perspective,' Joyce responded with dry sarcasm.

'Yes, isn't it.' Harry couldn't quite imagine just dropping back into her current occupation whilst being the major carer for two demanding babies. What on earth did James think life was going to be like after the birth.

'Biscuit,' Joyce proffered the plate.

'Don't mind if I do,' Harry responded as she grimly absorbed the impact of this morning's news. 'Bloody man,' she muttered irritably.

-oOo-

Dempsey was in his office and he sat back lit a cigar and thought about the latest event and a smile tugged at his lips. Harry was gonna have a difficult time ignoring his place in her life after that news bulletin.

Looking back, admitting the love stuff hadn't been that bad and it'd certainly got her on the ropes. He wasn't gonna overdo the emotional sharing but he knew he wanted Harry around, even if she did have a nasty way of putting things when she was mad. Boy and a girl would be nice, he mused as he watched Harry come back from a tea break with Hargreaves, probably telling her all about it. Women, they never could keep a thing to themselves and Harry was better than most.

The menu for tonight had better be something as he couldn't quite see domestic harmony being delivered in the short term. It'd take time for her to get used to the idea of twin babies. He could imagine if they actually did include sex as part of their relationship that the contraceptive routine would be fairly relentless. There was no way he was volunteering for the snip though cos no guy deserved that.

Hargreaves came in with a report he'd asked for.

'How's Harry,' Dempsey growled as he took the document, 'she was a bit off centre, earlier.'

'You have a gift for the understatement sir,' Joyce responded with dry sarcasm. 'I think it would be safe to say that the Detective Inspector is not only off centre but spinning like a top.'

'Not calmed down then,' he concluded in a wry tone. He'd noticed women tended to gang up and Joyce's expression wasn't exactly respectful considering he was her boss.

'Not as such.' The sergeant agreed eyeing him judgementally.

'Yeah, I get it it's all my fault,' he growled, 'that will be all, Hargreaves.' He glanced over at Harry's office. The blonde officer was just sitting their staring into space, re-adjusting her world view was his interpretation. As if sensing his regard, she looked over and her expression wasn't difficult to read, 'bloody Yank!'

-oOo-


	11. Chapter 11

A week later Dempsey caught Bradshaw's eye and beckoned him into his office. 'What's going down with Carly Stevens and the drug shipment, we got anything on that?' He could see that, 'I know who you're doing,' smirk on Bradshaw's face which annoyed him.

His marriage to Harry was acknowledged now although the central protagonists didn't talk about it much and everything went on much as usual at work. If anyone mentioned his wife or her husband both parties corrected them and referred to the other by their official designations. He guessed the blonde would have to move out of his command line after her maternity leave but Spikings said he had a plan for that and since he trusted the Chief he was comfortable that she'd be dealt with in a fair manner.

'Malik's moved on to a tarty blonde with big knockers so Carly's feeling the wrath of a woman scorned; it's making her act up which I could do without. The Missus said she'll cut off my todger if I go back there.'

Dempsey glowered at the other man. 'I see so Stevens hasn't got you as a back-up and is feeling neglected. That ain't what I call a good outcome Sergeant, if you hadn't gone too far with the cover we wouldn't be in this situation.'

Bradshaw shrugged that off because if he hadn't played Carly they wouldn't have their current intel. 'Hargreaves and Watson are monitoring the docks this morning but we haven't had anything back from them so no news as yet. I thought I might sweet talk the blonde cos everyone knows blondes' get dirty quicker…

'If you do that I'll cut off your balls,' Dempsey said dangerously as he knew the comment on Malik's blonde was a veiled reference to Harry and that made him good and mad. 'Keep Stevens from staging some emotional showdown with Malik; women can be very unpredictable and you might find she throws you into the conversation just to get up the guy's nose.'

That took the wind out of Steve's sails, it obviously hadn't occurred to him that Carly might use him to aggravate her ex.

Chas came in. 'Looks like the gig's on down at the docks, Hargreaves has just called in. Ship called Aztec Warrior has just come in and Malik's men are all over Dock 5.'

'Okay, let's get down there,' Dempsey growled as he got up out of his seat. 'And alert Chief Inspector Lacey as we'll need some of his uniforms,' he checked his gun and ammunition and then looked across at Harry's office to find her attention was focussed on him.

Things had been somewhat tense on the domestic front. I mean he'd showed her that paper on hyper ovulation and that a female could release two eggs at the same time, so not his fault. It hadn't gone down well. He'd intuited that the blame settled firmly on his shoulders for dragging his sorry ass to her door.

The blonde officer got up out of her seat as she met Dempsey's gaze and she made her way to his office and reluctantly entered, her subtle perfume scenting the air. She scanned to see if her actions were being observed and reluctantly acknowledged they were.

Dempsey's gaze ran over her in the usual masculine appraisal, nice little navy suit and up to the throat lace blouse, the formal clothing seemed to emphasise her femininity. He could see Harry resented the fact she'd felt compelled to enter the lion's den.

'Malik,' he growled at her as he pulled on his jacket. She was looking troubled, and as much as he welcomed her concern, he didn't need that right now as he had a major operation to cover off.

Harry folded her arms and gave him that slightly cross-eyed look that was unintentional but always raised Dempsey's temperature. 'I'd like to say be careful but knowing you that would be a waste of energy. Please try and remember that I don't want to be left to deal with the current situation without….'

'Without what,' he tried to stop the smile tugging at his mouth. Even though she was mad at him she didn't want him to get hurt, so that was nice.

'I don't want to deal with the current situation on my own,' she recovered quickly, looking rather put out at having to express her concern and that she'd used a similar language pattern to Dempsey when he'd awkwardly declared he didn't want to work for SI10 without her.

Dempsey held her gaze and wondered if she knew exactly how hot she was. He pulled his thoughts together as this wasn't the time or the place and he needed to get on with the job. 'I got your back Harry, I told you that. I can't second guess myself it would take away my edge, you're just gonna have to hold tight princess and I'll see you later.' He left her in his office as he headed out with the rest of the team.

Spikings came down and looked at the deserted office and spied his protege. He came over and smiled at her with what he hoped came over as empathy. 'He's a big boy and he's used to extreme situations. Malik on the other hand has my sympathy, let's go and get a cup of what passes for coffee in the canteen.' He guided Harry out of the office and to the hubbub of the canteen, he had a feeling it would be a long afternoon.

Harry turned to him as they sat down with their coffee, 'are you going to the docks sir,' she asked politely.

'No, I'm not. I have a budget meeting with the Home Office this afternoon and besides the Chief Inspector won't want me there. I trust my team to perform well or I haven't done my job as a senior officer.'

'Yes sir,' Harry acknowledged the good sense in Spikings response but she did feel that the Chief Superintendent was adept at keeping Dempsey from following his natural instincts for mayhem in the metropolis.

-oOo—

'A full-on war was being waged at Dock 5 between SI10 and the drug traffickers. Malik's team didn't give up easily as they'd been caught red handed and knew heavy prison sentences were their fate if they didn't win the shoot-out.

Dempsey was shielded by a container on the dock side as he took aim at one of Malik's team, the guy went down and he reloaded his gun.

Chas came up to him and crouched down beside him. 'Lacey's men are holding back until the gun-fire stops; I've asked for more support from the Met's armed officers as you requested.'

'We got an army on our hands here,' Dempsey growled as he looked out from the container and aimed at another one of the drug runners team. 'We need to take out Malik, anyone got a bead on him?'

'Bradshaw says he's on board the ship and there is the chance the Aztec Warrior may decide that Dock 5 is inhospitable and head out to sea.'

'Get the necessary assistance from the Coast Guard or Navy then, Spikings will know who to call; we need a blockade.' He glanced at Chas. 'What do you think, get on that ship and take Malik out?'

'Too dangerous,' Chas gave Dempsey the hard stare. 'I don't want to notify Harry of your sad demise, Jim.' If the Yank didn't know how Harry felt about him the Glaswegian was in little doubt of where her affections lay.

'I ain't used to being sensible,' the American grinned as he took aim at another villain. He reflected on the situation and had to admit that Inspector Jarvis was right, trying to board the ship was suicide and he wasn't up for that.

Bradshaw came over panting from running the length of the dock. 'A rib's just come in and gone behind the boat, I think Malik's making a run for it.'

'Get hold of Harry we need a boat; something powerful,' Dempsey demanded and he made off with Bradshaw down the dockside leaving Chas to call into the factory and maintain the siege of the Aztec Warrior.

The resulting chase across the waves was exhilarating and appealed to the Yank's sense of adventure. The rib was no match for the patrol vessel D.I. Winfield had commandeered as Malik's men were open to being fired upon whereas the coast guard vessel had some protection.

'Police officers here Malik, give it up,' Dempsey yelled from the P.A. system on the boat. 'I can pick you off one by one, or you can try swimming if you like but we're miles from anywhere and I'm happy to wait until you're tired and hypothermic cos the water here is freezing.'

The response was a barrage of shots and the American looked sanguine about that. 'Okay guys, let them have it. Try to disable cos I want my day in court,' he watched and waited until Malik finally gave up and they got an air ambulance to take the injured off the rib.

Chas's team had taken control of the boat and Lacey's uniforms were in charge of rounding up the strays and getting the huge haul of cocaine off the Aztec Warrior.'

'Where's your guvnor,' Lacey came over to Jarvis. 'Is he off playing the cowboy again?'

'No sir, he's apprehended Malik who is the drug lord running this operation. Malik took off in a rib, Dempsey's in the Coast Guard's boat, they're bringing in the gang members who are not injured.

'I see, causing havoc on the high seas then,' Lacey looked pleased with himself at that comment. 'And as usual my team have to clean up after SI10,' he added sarcastically.

Jarvis was sure that Dempsey would rather call on any team in the Met other than Lacey's but unfortunately, they were saddled with his uniforms as back up. 'We all have our part to play sir, and if you don't' mind I need to see to the injured.'

Joyce was holding her arm where a bullet had grazed her from a ricochet and Watson was applying a field dressing. 'I'll live,' Joyce said in her usual sarcastic manner.

'You should have kept back,' the West Indian remonstrated as he bound the gauze around the dressing to secure it.

'Why would I, you didn't,' she parried that comment. She was well aware that the male members of the team were protective and she didn't like it any more than Harry did.

Bradshaw hadn't fared so well, he'd been on the boat with Dempsey and had got a bullet wound in a private place so the Yanks former warning had some resonance as he was likely to lose a testicle. Morrison had also taken a hit and he was on his way to hospital.

Malik's team were in worse shape though and all in all for a gun battle SI10 hadn't come off too badly.

The Coast Guard boat moored up and Malik was escorted to a police wagon with members of his gang.

Dempsey surveyed the containers with the cocaine and nodded with satisfaction, 'at least that ain't hitting the streets.' He spied Lacey and took a deep breath.

'Chief Inspector Lacey,' he nodded in acknowledgement. 'Your boys got their work cut out looks like the mother lode.'

'I see you deserted the scene to join in a boat chase much more exciting than laying siege to a ship,' Lacey observed dryly.

'Well, that's not exactly true because Detective Inspector Jarvis was in charge of that and as you can see he did a fine job.' The guy was such a dick it almost gave him a sense of grim satisfaction not to react.

'Your luck will run out sooner or later Dempsey and then you'll get your come-uppance,' Lacey declared with relish. 'I hear you're married to your ex-partner; a bit of a cliché don't you think?'

Now that was hard not to react to but he knew Harry wouldn't want that so he reigned it in. 'I have that honour yes, I consider myself a fortunate man,' he turned to Jarvis and asked for the collateral damage i.e. officers down. 'Excuse me,' he threw at Lacey as he went to talk to his injured troops.

Jarvis exchanged a knowing look with the American and they went about their business of cleaning up after the dramatic events of the day.

-oOo—

Harry had a tense day dealing with the relevant authorities to get Dempsey the necessary river transport, and the Met for additional armed officers. It was frustrating listening to the reports coming in rather than being part of the action. The blonde officer breathed a sigh of heart-felt relief when she heard that Malik had been arrested. Some of the team had injuries and that was worrying but nobody had been fatally wounded which was a blessing.

D.I. Winfield was still in the office when the team came in and she smiled with genuine delight to see the officers of SI10 return. Dempsey, true to form, swaggered in like some testosterone, fuelled super-hero and exchanged banter with the team. The guys were in self-congratulatory mode after the danger they'd faced and she acknowledged their right to blow off steam.

Spikings came down with a pleased smile on his face and had a word here and there and then went into the Chief Inspector's office for a debrief.

Harry entered the main workspace and gave a moue of concern as she saw Joyce's arm. 'Oh dear, are you all right Joyce, shouldn't you be in hospital that looks nasty?'

'I'm going in a minute, Mike's coming to pick me up and take me there so I'll get the usual lecture on working in a safer occupation.'

'He has a point,' the blonde officer smiled at her sympathetically. Her gaze moved to Dempsey's office and she blushed slightly as James looked over and held her gaze for what seemed like a very long time. She knew her ex-partner and he'd be on an adrenaline rush from the latest gig which made him somewhat overtly masculine and er… well, possibly demanding. Her reaction to that disturbed her as a surge of desire made her skin heat. Harry felt an ignoble desire to run off somewhere which wasn't like her at all.

She tore her gaze away and saw that Joyce was regarding her with something like amusement. 'The Chief Inspector is on good form. A very successful operation, he deserves his moment.'

'Mike's here,' the blonde officer answered very relieved to see Joyce's husband turn up as it meant she could end the conversation. 'I hope everything goes well at the hospital Joyce, make sure you take the time you need to recuperate.'

'Have a nice evening,' Joyce responded with a knowing smile playing around her mouth as she went to greet her husband. In Hargreaves opinion, Dempsey's operational success and Harry's concern provided an excellent opportunity for more cordial relations.

Harry's view was slightly different. She felt all hot and bothered and very uncertain about the evening ahead, as anything remotely 'cordial' was not a big feature of her relationship with James Dempsey. She sighed and went back to her office and got ready to leave for the evening.

-oOo-


	12. Chapter 12

Dempsey was in the mood to party as gun fights always gave him a rush. Now normally he'd go have a few beers and maybe get lucky depending on whether the lady de jour was around. His current circumstances meant the latter activity was pretty much denied to him as Harry was unlikely to provide the 'fun,' he was looking for.

The lady in question looked like she was getting ready to leave so he intercepted her as she picked up her briefcase and coat.

'Hey, how about we go over the road to the bar? I could do with a beer and then you can drive me home.' His warm gaze fenced with hers, 'what's up you're looking kind of gun shy?' She was signalling emotional upheaval, tempted and tempting.

'Is that an euphemism?' Harry parried that comment, her gaze mocking him. It was almost as if he'd tuned-in to that rush of desire she'd felt earlier, hormonal she'd decided and put the feeling in a box marked, 'do not disturb.'

'You use all these big words,' he chastised her his eyes dancing as he sensed her vulnerability to his charm, 'but if the euphemism fits and all that. Where you running off too?'

'I was going home at the end of a long day but if you want me to give you a lift then I'll come to the pub.' She was always vulnerable to Dempsey's masculine appeal so she didn't turn him down. 'I don't want to stay until closing time though as I can't drink.' Her sapphire blue, gaze held his in a determined fashion trying to impress on him that there was a reason she couldn't drink but she wasn't about to announce that. Harry was well aware her ex-partner probably wanted to party with the boys. Spikings had headed over to the Ambrecote with Chas already.

When they entered the pub Spikings was talking to Lacey at the bar which was choc a bloc with their colleagues and the noise level was high.

'That's killed the mood,' Dempsey growled as he took in Lacey's presence and raised his hand in acknowledgement but didn't engage. 'He called you and me a cliché today and against my natural inclination I bit my tongue.'

'That must have been hard for you,' Harry was surprised he'd been able to control his somewhat volatile temper. 'I suppose we are when you come to think of it. Everyone has gossiped about us for years and they'll be congratulating themselves they were right all along.'

'They don't say it about Watson and Hargreaves,' Dempsey ordered a beer and turned to her. 'What do you want?'

'A St. Clements,' she responded with little enthusiasm as vodka was out of the question. 'Bradshaw does but in general they don't, probably because Joyce is married with children. Watson is a bit of a lady's man but he's not in your league; he's been dating Chantel for a couple of years so he doesn't have your run rate.'

The American gave a deep sigh cos he knew his past was kind of a thing with her. 'I ain't got any kind of run rate currently princess, I'm a devotee of the Lady Harriet temple of denial. Can't say I'm an enthusiastic devotee though cos it's killing me.'

'Ah, a man has needs,' she nodded her head as if she'd been expecting to hear that conversational gambit. She surveyed the bar which held a number of Dempsey's previous flirts and held his gaze. 'Well, I suppose there are plenty of possible opportunities for you, its busy in here tonight.'

'And that wouldn't bother you,' his gaze challenged hers and there was something in that gaze that said he'd been pushed too far.

'It would bother me James,' she paused and could see that had stroked his ego. 'It would bother me because everybody is probably expecting you to cheat on me at some point and I think I've given them enough opportunity to pat themselves on the back already.'

That comment had a sting in the tail which Dempsey didn't fail to appreciate. 'Tell you what, why don't you go home, I'll get a taxi back when I'm ready.' He was annoyed cos his heart had leapt when she said she would be bothered and then she'd changed tack; he'd pulled off a major gig today and the last thing he wanted was D.I. Winfield raining on his parade.'

'Certainly not, consider me your minder,' she picked up the drink and assessed his demeanour and decided she'd possibly gone too far with her last comment. James had a massive ego and when he was on an adrenaline fuelled high it was probably not the time to prick the balloon as it were.

'Yeah, my ball and chain,' he growled in a disparaging tone. 'You certainly deliver on that part,' he took a deep draught of beer and surveyed the bar. 'I wonder what Lacey wants, probably moaning about the clean-up.'

'Yes, the boys in blue tend to get a bit annoyed when they go in after the 'glory boys,' they seem to miss the fact that nobody is shooting at them. How is Bradshaw by the way, it sounds like a nasty injury?' Harry, realising she'd gone too far, decided to divert the conversation to common ground.

'Considering his close liaison with Malik's lady it's kind of prophetic,' Dempsey drawled his gaze amused on the blonde's cos he knew what Harry was doing but decided to go along with it. 'Got the one ball though so the baby maker is still operational. I guess the guys' will give him some stick once he's recovered.'

'Yes, I can just imagine renditions of 'Hitler has only got one ball,' being hummed or whistled in the office.' Her blue gaze teased his as they got into the pattern of familiar banter.

Dempsey laughed at that, knowing that Harry's little tune was on the light side of the humour coming Bradshaw's way, 'guys will be guys,' he admitted wryly.

'Won't they just,' she smiled as Watson and Jarvis joined them. 'Difficult day, the casualties were light though so that's something of a relief.'

Dempsey looked at Chas. 'Malik's gonna be in the slammer and we made the red tops so Spikings will be happy, what's Lacey in here for?'

'Wants the Chief Superintendent to give him a pat on the back, he's up for promotion and wants the guvnor's backing.' Chas didn't add he thought that was a long shot as he wasn't one to gossip.

'Screw that, that guy's a….

'An excellent policeman,' Harry finished his sentence her hand resting on his arm in a warning fashion.

'What she said,' Dempsey grinned as he knew the guys would find that funnier than him slagging off the senior officer. He was right they did.

-oOo—

Harry blue eyes narrowed as a couple of ladies from forensics were chatting up her 'husband' and she decided it was time to leave. In fact, she was feeling rather possessive and didn't care for their attentions. That surprised her but then the last few months had been full of surprises so she accepted the extra layer of complexity. She threaded her way through the throng and got hold of the back of his belt and tugged slightly. 'Time to go, James,' she said coolly as his arm came around her shoulders.

'Taxi service is here,' he winked at the ladies who had been a keen audience, 'okay princess, let's go,' he followed her out of the bar exchanging farewells with his inebriated colleagues.

He'd had a few drinks but hadn't over indulged cos he didn't want to screw up with any behaviour Harry would deem inappropriate. And besides, she was the hottest babe in the bar so charming the other ladies wouldn't get him to where he wanted to be.

'Sorry to interrupt you, you seemed to be having such a good time,' she remarked in a patient tone as she started the car's engine.

'Just being sociable,' he responded in a relaxed fashion. 'I think they liked me, I kind of forgot what that feels like.' He turned to look at her and could see that comment had washed over her without impact.

'I'm tired James so if we could just get home without a verbal battle I'd be very much obliged to you,' she drove competently and within the speed limit as she approached Camberwell Gardens.

'Yeah sorry, should've left earlier. You okay?' He felt bad, she was having two babies and there he was going round the bar chest thumping and swaggering.

'Yes, just tired. You needed to wind down, I understand that,' she parked the car in her drive and was touched when he got out and opened the door for her. 'Thank you,' she responded politely.

Dempsey reached into his jacket pocket for the keys and unlocked the door switching on the lights in the hall. He helped her take off her jacket and for the first time he noticed the slight bump as her blouse clung to her abdomen. 'Hey,' he said softly as his hand covered the small swell, 'you're beginning to show.'

'Almost six months,' she said feeling very conscious of his touch, 'this blouse clings a bit, I won't wear it again.'

'I felt something,' his voice was low with emotion as he felt a tiny movement and the awe of it all hit him. 'I really think you should stay home from now on, sweetheart. You're doing too much,' he pulled her into his arms and nuzzled her neck and inhaled the sweet scent of her.

'I'm fine,' she gently disengaged and went into the lounge and kicked off her shoes with a sigh of relief. 'Long day and an even longer evening, time goes by more slowly when one is drinking fruit juice.' She went into her bedroom and put on a silk robe and walked into the bathroom to remove her make-up and have a quick shower.

Dempsey made some coffee and waited for her to finish up in the bathroom, he took a mouthful of the dark, aromatic brew and his mind wandered to Harry in the shower and that made his temperature go up. And here she was looking all fresh and pretty, she looked more vulnerable when she took off the make-up and he just drank in the sight of her.

Harry felt her heart begin to race, and the way James was looking at her made her swallow hard. 'You're staring,' she murmured as she sat down beside him and took the mug of coffee out of his hand and took a sip. It was an intimate gesture she'd adopted early in their relationship, he'd never pulled her up on it so she supposed he liked it.

'I'm fascinated,' he said softly as he put his arm around her; his gaze searching hers and then dropping to her soft mouth finding it hard to ignore the sensual promise as she moistened her full, lower lip with her tongue. 'You're beautiful, it's hard not to get caught up in it.'

Harry was very conscious of his arm around her but instead of moving away she sank into the embrace and breathed him in, it was addictive the scent of him, very masculine and more potent than usual. After the day she'd had and the anxiety she'd felt, she needed the hug.

'You finished with my coffee,' he took the mug off her and raised her chin and kissed her gently, teasing her bottom lip with his teeth and then tracing her upper lip with his tongue until her jaw relaxed and she let him in.

Harry seemed very receptive and he was loath to break the mood but he should probably shower. James broke the kiss, his gaze moving to the sensual blue of hers. 'I should go clean up, I've been running round the docks all day, sweat and cordite ain't exactly pleasant.'

'No,' she protested her blue gaze fixed on his warm lips, 'no, I like it. I er… There's no need,' she added weakly and she gave a soft sound of satisfaction as he lowered his head again.

The kiss was sweet and gently erotic and Harry's hormones stirred reluctantly into life as his tongue slid against hers. The sensual feeling was fuelled by how careful he was being with her, every touch was gentle and considerate but highly erotic to the cool, blonde and she felt her resistance melt away and hardly noticed when he lifted her from the couch to take her into her bedroom.

When his naked length settled against her she woke out of the sensual dream and her gaze met his, 'I think I'm taking more notice this time…

'It's the naked thing,' he smiled at her, 'I promise you, you won't get pregnant this time,' he growled as his mouth returned to hers. Harry's arms went around his neck and she slid her leg around his hip which could only be taken as encouragement. 'Are you sure,' he broke the kiss and murmured in her ear.

'Shut up, Dempsey,' she pulled his head back down and her lips parted as she kissed him with a certain amount of passionate aggression.

'I'll take that as a yes,' he growled as he kissed his way down her body and made very aware of what she'd been missing for the last six months. He liked the sounds she made as he traced his lips over her sensitive skin, it aroused him unbearably. He's have to keep a check on this, not be too rough, too demanding…. After that his brain turned to mush and he followed his body's instincts.

-oOo—

'You okay,' he asked as he hung over her his breathing disturbed; his gaze wandering over her face, she looked kind of shocked. 'Harry,' he tipped up her chin so he could look at her and was surprised when she blushed. 'Last time we didn't get a chance to talk,' he kissed her jaw, leaving a trail of kisses up to her earlobe which he bit gently.

'I'm fine,' she shivered at the sensation he created as her ears were incredibly sensitive. His hand stroked over her abdomen.

'They okay,' he asked gruffly, feeling a little awkward about disturbing the babies It made him feel selfish but then he supposed he was just a guy when you came down to it and as Harry said, guys had needs.

'Everything is fine,' she reassured him. 'I'm not entirely sure how we ended up here but as you say when we were naked that was the clue.'

'Yeah,' he laughed softly. 'Well, we got here cos I kissed you and you seemed to like it.' He ran a finger around her jaw, 'and I liked it too, so here we are.'

'I don't want you to assume that I…' Harry wasn't sure what Dempsey thought this committed her too other than an expression of her physical desire for her ex-partner. He was an alpha male and she wasn't immune.

'I'm not assuming a thing,' James tidied a stray bang of hair from her forehead. 'You know what I want Harry, it's up to you where we go next.' He rolled onto his back and was quite surprised when she rested on his chest, he ran his fingers through her hair, soothing her. This was nice, made him feel all warm inside.

'I hadn't planned on having a relationship and here I am pregnant, twice blessed, and married,' she looked at the rings on her fingers with a puzzled frown. 'You haven't got any jumpers that look remotely like mine?' She raised her head and met his gaze.

'Not that I know of. What does that even mean?' He wasn't sure where she was going with this as he hadn't been party to the conversation with Joyce . 'You do know we've been in a relationship for a long time, it's just gone up a level. I would never've come to you that night if we didn't have that special thing going on.'

'No, I don't suppose you would,' she settled back down on his chest and thought about it. 'You're very good at it, the sex thing,' she added unless he was unclear. 'Plenty of practice, I suppose.'

'Let's not go there,' he tugged her hair in an admonishing fashion. 'That was just for you, and it's too early for the how many, conversation.'

'I should think you've lost count,' she responded without heat. 'In fact, I don't think we should ever have that conversation.'

'Very wise,' he added. 'Besides, I never had a you before,' he stroked his fingertips down her back, 'you're kind of unique.'

She gave a soft laugh. 'Yes, you've often pointed out my unique qualities and not always in a way that suggests you approve of them.'

'I'm here princess, married and twice blessed, I think you can take approval as a given,' he kissed the top of her head and gave a low groan as she kissed his chest and he assumed that the approval went both ways.

-oOo—

When Dempsey woke up the following morning Harry was gone. He searched the house and there was no sign of her, that annoyed him. He wandered into the kitchen to make some coffee and found a note.

It read, 'James, I'm spending the weekend with Freddie and won't be back until Sunday evening,' signed Harry.

'What no kiss,' he growled at the salutation. So, she'd run off to her fathers to depress any pretensions he might have that the honeymoon had started. It was typical of her one step forward, two steps back approach. If Harry thought he was going to kick his heels round her place for the weekend she had another thing coming. He poured the coffee and decided to follow her to Winfield Hall and act like the visit had been planned all along. That would get right up her nose but then she'd annoyed the hell out of him.

Last night had been terrific and now she'd just blown him off. What Harry needed was to learn some manners. She needed a refresher on romantic etiquette and he intended to be her tutor. What did she go running off for? What the hell did she think he was going to do to her? Did she see last night as a mistake? It upset him that she might think that. I mean they were having two babies, they were married, living together and now they'd had great sex, why would she see that as a mistake? He was sick of her screwing with him and he wanted some answers.

Reluctantly his mind played back the fact that Harry had been kind of encouraged by him to do all that and none of it had been her plan exactly. Maybe she'd run off because of that, he didn't know but he was certain of one thing, he was going to find out.

-oOo-


	13. Chapter 13

The weather wasn't good and Harry began to wish she hadn't made the decision to go to Winfield Hall as the prospect of being snowed in was eminently possible. She had panicked about the morning after and dealing with the events of the night before and that wasn't like her, she usually faced things head on. James, was and always had been a huge, huge challenge but fleeing the scene and heading for her old home as some kind of sanctuary was ridiculous and what on earth Dempsey would think she couldn't imagine.

The windscreen wipers were labouring with the effort of clearing the snow off her windscreen. She was only five miles away from home when the car in front of her spun off the road into the ditch. It lay slewed across the road effectively blocking it. It was a single-track lane at that point with ditches on either side which widened as it got nearer to Winfield Hall and the nearby village.

She reached for the RT and got hold of SI10, there had to be some benefits to being in a serious crime unit.

'Yes Ma'am,' Fry responded. 'What can I do for you today?' He sounded cheerful which was odd as he was working on a Saturday.

'I know it's not strictly police business Dave but its freezing out here. I'd appreciate it if you would phone through to Stoupe Farm in Somerset near Winfield Hall and ask them to bring a tractor out to clear the lane that leads to the Hall. The car in front of me has just nose-dived into a ditch. If you phone Winfield Hall, my father or Abbot will have the number.'

'A lady in distress is always a priority,' Fry answered pleasantly. 'I'll get right onto it. Are you all right Harry, it's a very bad day for travelling?'

'I'm okay, the journey was fine for the most part, the delay is annoying as I'm so close to home.' She gave the young officer her father's number and closed down the call.

'Are the police coming,' the dark-haired man from the car looked annoyed at that thought.

'The police are here,' Harry flashed her badge. 'I'm not in the traffic division which is very good news for you as you were driving too fast for the conditions we're facing today.' She pulled her coat around her and climbed back into the car not particularly interested in the man stranded on the road.

He knocked on the window and she lowered it. 'Can I wait in your car, I can hardly sit in mine.'

Harry really didn't want to share her space with the stupid man but she could hardly leave him out in what appeared to be blizzard conditions. An hour later the tractor from the farm turned up and Harry was greeted warmly by the farmer as she got out of the car.

'You're a welcome visitor Lady Harriet, your father was most concerned when he heard you were stuck on the road. I told him to rest easy and I'd come and get you.' He scowled at the man who'd caused the accident. 'You'll have to help me get the tow rope on your vehicle.'

'My name's Andrews, Jeff Andrews,' the driver answered as he took the rope and went to attach it to his car.

As the tractor was attempting to get the vehicle out of the ditch another car came down the lane and Harry turned to explain the situation only to feel as if the world had disappeared from under her feet as she came face to face with James Dempsey.

'Get back in the car,' he growled his anger only to apparent. 'Get back in the car Harry, you'll freeze out here.' He walked over to the driver of the errant vehicle and assisted in getting the car out of the ditch and back on the road. It took some time as the two men had to push the car as Timms and the tractor pulled the car out of the ditch.

'You should be able to get to the next village if you drive carefully cos if you ditch the car again I won't be so helpful,' the American growled at Andrews as he walked back to his wife's car.

Harry acknowledged that James was upset about more than her skipping breakfast, she could tell that by the set of his features. She was very familiar with that look and he was obviously banking his frustration.

Dempsey came back to her vehicle and waited as she lowered the window. 'You go ahead Harry and I'll follow, take it slow and stay in the middle of the road.' He went over to the farmer. 'Thanks,' he said with heartfelt gratitude. 'It's freezing out here, thank you for your trouble.'

'Oh, it's no problem it was a pleasure to help Miss Harry,' Timms smiled and waved as he went off back to the farm.

Harry had never been more pleased to see Winfield Hall as her car had lost its grip on the snow a couple of times but she'd managed to correct it. She parked efficiently in the drive and her father and Abbot came out to greet her.

'Darling, I've been so worried,' her father hugged her. 'You should never have driven down here alone in this weather, lovely to see you of course but it was very foolish.'

'Damn right,' Dempsey got out of the car, he'd been witness to Harry's struggle to keep her car on the road, and it hadn't improved his mood. 'Let's get inside,' he collected Harry's bag and his own from their respective vehicles and took them into the Hall where Abbot fussed over them and took their luggage up to Harry's suite of rooms.

The American got straight to it. 'Are you insane? You drive down here on your own in these weather conditions. That guy Andrews, could've taken advantage of you, or you could have ended up in a ditch. What the hell is wrong with you?'

'The weather wasn't as bad when I started off,' she protested but she had to admit it had been a stupid thing to do especially under the current circumstances.

Freddie gulped he'd never really seen Harry's chap in such a rage and he tried to pour oil on troubled waters. 'Well, all's well that ends well,' he beamed at them both.

'All is not well. She could have frozen to death or been injured or assaulted because she was too chicken to face me this morning.' Dempsey's dark eyes were furious as they met hers.

The blonde, blushed scarlet at that one and was sincerely hoping that Dempsey wasn't going to discuss their marital relations in front of her father and the staff. 'I er… I understand that you're annoyed with me James but do you think we could have this discussion in the study.' She pointed at the room to the left of the hall.

'We can have it anywhere you like but we're gonna have that conversation right now.' He strode into the study and Harry slowly followed and glanced at her father and gave a slight grimace.

'Should I…' Her father wasn't' sure whether he should go with them and protect his daughter from the wrath of a big, angry American.

'It's all right Freddie, you don't have to be party to this, it's something James and I have to discuss,' her name being blared from the study made her speed up her exit from the hall.

'Do you have to yell like that,' she responded icily as she entered the study. 'I was perfectly fine on the journey until that idiot, Andrews lost control of his car and ended up in the ditch. It was more annoying than anything else. I got straight onto the RT and Fry got hold of my father who told Mr. Timms…

'You're six months pregnant, last night we had a fairly active evening don't you think it would've been more sensible to rest up for the day. But no, you were feeling so guilty about letting me get close that you ran for it and risked yourself and my babies in that weather.' He pointed out the window.

Harry cursed the stupid snow for resembling a blizzard at this point. When they had a row, it was usually because of some transgression of Dempsey's and it felt odd to be the one in the wrong. On the other hand, she felt as if she'd been steam-rollered into the role of the American's wife and mother of his children. It was as if he'd got hold of her life and shook it until it fell into a design he felt comfortable with. 'I just wanted some space to think. I mean you've pretty much pushed and pushed until I don't know my own life anymore.' Her blue eyes were troubled as they met his.

'I get it,' he growled. 'You don't want me in your life in that way. The fact you risked your life to make the point hasn't gone unnoticed. Don't worry, I won't be pushing you tonight.' His carefully controlled expression masked how much she'd hurt his feelings.

'I don't know what I want that's why I came here, I needed to think. I agree the weather conditions were less than optimum… her voice trailed off at the severity of his expression.

'You could've been hurt. You and the babies, if that had happened,' he ran his hand through his hair, 'it don't bear thinking about,' he turned away from her so she couldn't see how he felt about that. Losing Joey had been one thing losing Harry and the kids well that was something else, that would finish him.

Harry felt terrible and hadn't really wanted a scene like this. 'I'm sorry James, I've behaved idiotically I should have told you how I was feeling and tried to work something out.' She approached him and put her hand on his arm in a placatory gesture.

'It would have been a more mature way of dealing with things,' his gaze held hers. 'I guess the whole thing's been kind of overwhelming,' he acknowledged his expression showing how troubled he felt. 'We'd better go and see your pop, he'll be wondering what the hell is going on.'

Freddie was pleased to see that they'd stopped shouting at each other and he offered them both some lunch. 'The weather is getting worse; the country has come to a standstill. We don't get weather like this very often so we're not very well prepared for it.'

Dempsey nodded cos he could understand that you didn't invest in a host of snow ploughs when you didn't need them on a regular basis. 'Your Mr Timms was helpful, I guess he's used to clearing the road.'

'Yes, Cedric's the salt of the earth,' Freddie smiled. 'Well, it's nice to have you both for the weekend or for perhaps longer if the weather doesn't clear up. Now tell me how are you keeping Harry, because I'm very eager to meet my grandchild in a couple of months.

'Grandchildren,' Dempsey corrected, 'we got two. Harry's just getting used to that idea. I'm worried for her so I was kind of anxious when she set off here in this,' he gestured at the window.

'Goodness me,' Freddie was surprised. 'Well that's exciting news,' he beamed at them both. 'Harry, you must take more care, I can see why James would be concerned about you.'

'I see,' she responded wryly. 'You're both ganging up on me,' she eyed her father affectionately. 'I'm all right, all in one piece,' she smiled at them both.

'You were lucky,' Dempsey growled at her. 'And in future, you might not be so we're gonna have a little talk about that.'

'Yes James,' Harry said in an even tone as she really didn't want another row and she knew her ex-partner; he never let go of a subject once it had taken hold. She had a feeling she was going to be ruthlessly taken care of which didn't sit well with her independent spirit.

'More claret,' Freddie thought a drop of wine couldn't hurt as he helped James to a glass of the good stuff. 'What would you like Harry, we have some home-made lemonade?'

The lunch was cold cuts but the beef was gorgeous and melted in the mouth and so was the gammon and as it had been a long time since breakfast, which neither of them had eaten, it was very welcome.

-oOo-

Lord Winfield was somewhat curious about the state of play between his daughter and her American. He'd watched the development of their relationship as they'd progressed from colleagues to friends and appreciated the strong bond that had grown between them. It was obvious that there was some element of sexual attraction too but he'd almost given up on them moving forward on that front and had been somewhat shocked when Harry had announced she was pregnant.

James had asked for his daughter's hand in marriage and he'd given his consent as he was very much of the opinion that Harry knew her own mind and if she'd agreed to the marriage it wasn't up to him to object. However, it didn't seem to him that they were a couple as yet as Harry seemed to be somewhat caught off guard by her current circumstances and seemed quite frankly to be struggling with it.

He wasn't sure whether he should have a word or not and if so with whom, James or Harriet. He was pondering this as James came into the house brushing off the snow as he'd been to one of the out houses trying to kick the generator into life as they'd experienced a power cut about an hour ago.

'Well it's working,' he told Lord Winfield, 'but it's pretty antiquated you might want to consider getting a new one.'

'It's freezing in here,' Harry came into the study with a blanket wrapped around her and started loading wood into the fireplace.

'Let me get that,' Dempsey took off his coat and got down on his haunches to build the fire and took over from the blonde. 'You can't just heap it in there, you got to build it right,' he got a roaring fire going in no time.

She was a bit annoyed at the way he'd denigrated her fire making ability as she'd been a girl guide and attended many an outward-bound course and was perfectly capable of building a fire. 'Quite the handy man,' Harry remarked sarcastically.

'It's all the diesel running through my veins,' he growled. 'I can turn my hand to most things, you might want to make some coffee cos the generator's working,' he gave her a wince of a smile.

'I'm surprised you trust me to make the coffee,' she responded snippily as she headed off to the kitchen to do the honours as the staff couldn't get into the Hall this morning so they pretty much had the place to themselves except for Abbot who lived in.

Lord Winfield spotted his chance for a tete-a-tete with his son-in-law. 'You seem a little out of sorts James, is everything all right. I gather you didn't approve of Harry's visit to Winfield Hall, I'm always delighted to see her of course,' he smiled genially and hoped that would get the ball rolling.

'We kind of got thrown into the current situation so it's taking some time to adjust,' Dempsey was on his knees feeding the fire with more wood. 'I thought I had commitment issues but I ain't got nothing on your daughter. She gets into flight mode any time I get near her.'

'Ah,' Lord Winfield frowned as he understood that his daughter was somewhat scarred by her earlier relationship with Robert not to mention her best friend Anabelle letting her down so badly. 'Yes, well she's had a few disappointments in her personal relationships and I suppose that your track record with the ladies hasn't exactly helped.'

'I was single, I never treated anyone badly, I just didn't want the whole couple thing,' Dempsey responded in an exasperated fashion as he got up. 'I dated women who weren't looking for that. I've had a couple of disappointments too, it's called life.'

'I see, so where does that leave you both?' Freddie was a little disturbed at the current state of play as he liked the American and thought he was good for his daughter.

'I'm not the one you should ask,' James responded grimly, 'Lady H is the one with the running shoes on.'

-oOo-


	14. Chapter 14

'Coffee,' Harry announced brightly as she re-entered the study and then she gave a moue of displeasure as Dempsey had absented himself.

'James is in the barn chopping wood for the fire as he says the generator will only last for a short time; I'm awfully glad he's here I'm not much good at fending for myself at my age; especially in these conditions.'

The blonde poured her father a cup of the aromatic brew and then one for herself. 'I hope the electricity board get the grid up and working again; they say the conditions are getting worse and we're in for a couple of days of it. There seems to be plenty of food and if we have fuel for the fires we should be all right.'

'I couldn't help noticing that you seem to be a bit off-centre darling, is there anything I can do to help?' Lord Winfield didn't like to interfere but the two of them seemed to make such a mess of things.

Harry sighed. 'Everything in my life seems to have changed so rapidly I'm having trouble keeping up,' she admitted. 'Dempsey is angry with me,' she put the coffee down and wrapped her arms around her body and her blue eyes looked hurt and vulnerable. 'He's my best friend and I hate it when we argue although heaven knows I should be used to it by now.'

'James cares about you, you do know that don't you darling,' Freddie wondered if they ever talked about their feelings for each other.

'Yes, I do know that,' she agreed. 'I care about him too, more than he knows and more than I care to admit. I've been so busy battling it out with him I have no idea how to declare a truce.' She sighed. 'I don't want to become just another girl,' she picked up her coffee again and drank some of it.

'You're hardly that,' her father's blue eyes twinkled. 'He told me once that you were the only girl for him but I hadn't to tell you and I'm very ashamed that I've broken my promise.'

Harry laughed at her father telling tales out of school. 'James told me something like that too so don't worry your secret is safe with me. We'll work it out, we always do, it just takes time.'

-oOo—

Harry ventured out to the barn with a flask of coffee and some sandwiches and watched her ex-partner chop wood, he had discarded his shirt and was down to a white tank as he was warm from the activity, it was a pleasure to watch his muscles move under the clinging material.

'Coffee,' she announced as she made him aware of her presence. 'And sandwiches if you're hungry, you seem to have chopped a lot of wood,' her gaze ran over the pile of split logs, 'very impressive.'

'It's a good way of letting off steam,' he growled as he put the axe down and unscrewed the thermos to pour himself a cup of coffee. 'It's cold,' his gaze ran over her thick jumper and ribbed wool scarf, she looked like a model for expensive, winter wear. 'You warm enough?'

'I'm fine,' she reassured him. 'I'm not irresponsible, it's twenty yards to the house if that and you're in a thin vest.' The said garment was clinging attractively to his body and he smelt wonderful and she somewhat regretted her exit from their bed earlier that day.

'You've got hungry eyes, princess. Is my manly activity turning you on?' His dark gaze took in her heated features and he wondered if her hormones were playing her up and that was the reason for the off-centre behaviour.

'I er… Harry was lost for words because she did feel incredibly aroused and she realised her behaviour was erratic and must be puzzling him. 'I hate it when we argue and I think I may need a hug,' she said softly her blue eyes hectic as they met his dark, almost critical gaze.

'Sure, why not,' he put the coffee down and crossed the distance between them and took her into his arms, his mouth finding hers and the passion over taking both of them.

Harry was in heaven and had given herself up totally to the sensual thrill of being in his embrace, his body warm and hard against hers, his scent was heightened by the exercise and she breathed him in. She seemed to have some sort of thing about James and sweat that she didn't want to look too closely at.

He raised his head and took in her heated skin and full mouth. 'Not sure we should be doing this; you might run off into the arctic wastes or start hiding in the attic cos every time we get close you get spooked.'

'Perhaps I'll get used to it in time,' she offered weakly, trying to rally her senses and stop her hormones raging.

'It might be nice to share breakfast,' he growled kissing her gently on the lips and then placing small kisses along her jaw and then moving to a sensitive spot on her neck. 'I'm here for the long-term Harry, you'd trust me with your life at work, trust me with this.'

'I'm trying to,' she met his gaze allowing him to see the pain there of past disappointments and also the pain of caring for him for some time without James seeming to reciprocate. I mean all she'd got after three years and nearly trashing her career was a reluctant admission that he couldn't work in SI10 without her. She'd had to get pregnant and accept him moving in before he'd said the 'l' word.

'Don't look at me like that,' he groaned. 'I don't want to be the cause of that cos of the way I am.' He pulled her tightly into his body and nuzzled her hair.

'It's the way we both are,' Harry responded honestly. 'We're closed off emotionally and we hurt each other and I don't want that.'

'Neither do I but you can't avoid pain, princess. Sometimes you just have to stick with things until they get better. I'm going to try and you're going to try too cos if we don't there's a lot more pain coming our way.

'Yes,' she agreed as she buried her face against his chest, 'I know that, I do know that.'

-oOo-

Lord Winfield looked rather worried as he took calls from nearby tenants as one of the farmers had gone missing after going out to look after his stock. 'Barnstaple has gone up to the ridges and hasn't come back, some of the sheep up there are in difficulties he has his dogs with him. The village are sending out a search and rescue team.'

Dempsey got up from his chair, 'I'll go. Maybe I can help. I don't know the terrain around here but if they need an extra pair of hands….

'I know the local area,' Harry piped up. 'There's a particular spot up there where the snow lasts the longest and you get enormous drifts. I could show you….

'You're not doing that,' Dempsey cut her off. 'You're staying here, nice and warm by the fire with your father. I don't want to be worrying about you, do you understand?'

Harry looked a bit miffed. 'I wish you wouldn't treat me as if I'd come down with an illness, I'm perfectly healthy and if I wear suitable clothing I'll be fine.'

'N, O, means no,' he was determined to have his way on this and couldn't understand why his usually sensible ex-partner was being so difficult.

'You don't know the local area,' Harry pointed out smugly.

'Yeah well, I'm guessing some of the village guys do so we'll leave that to them huh. I know how to command a team so if they need that I'm there,' he pulled on some gear for combating the extreme weather and went out and down the lane to the village.

Harry was fed up and looked up when she felt her father's hand on her hair.

'He is right you know, you shouldn't be out in this in your condition and when the snow falls it's difficult to get your bearings even if you do know the lie of the land.

'James would be better off if he had me with him,' she responded in a frustrated tone. 'I mean he could get lost out there and then where would I be?' I'd be on my own with two babies, she pondered that thought.

'I'm sure he'll be fine, from what I've seen he has excellent survival skills so let's hope for the best. I'm going to make us both some hot soup whilst you stay in here by the phone.

It was a long night but eventually they got news of the lost man from the search team and they were told that the American cop had been a great help organising the men and making sure that no-one was out of sight of the others in the party. Dempsey returned later just in time for breakfast looking cold, and tired but heartened by the fact they'd found their man.

'The guy Barnstaple was in a bad way; hypothermic probably, we got him out on a stretcher, guess those dogs saved his life cos they barked when they heard us. We moved some of the sheep down to the lower pastures, it's fascinating seeing the men work them.'

'You sound like you enjoyed the adventure,' Harry was amused at the American's enthusiasm. 'I thought you'd be bored here; I've always seen you as a city dweller.'

'Nah, you can always find something wherever you are,' he tried the porridge he'd been offered and then spooned honey onto it. He saw Harry's look of astonishment as he did that and grinned at her. 'I've expended a lot of energy lately I need the calories,' and he laughed as she blushed.

Freddie joined in the laughter at his daughter's embarrassment and had a definite twinkle in his eyes as he watched the pair of them. 'Thank you for your help James, the locals seem quite taken at having an American, Chief Inspector in their midst from the Metropolitan Police.'

James laughed, 'well I'm used to yelling at people and it kind of works if someone takes charge, the local guys knew where to go to find their man I just made sure we didn't lose any more of them while we did that.'

'I feel like I've missed out on all the fun,' Harry responded sounding a bit put out. She was very glad that Dempsey was back in one piece as she'd been worried about him.

Freddie squeezed her shoulder as he went past to make some more toast, he knew how anxious she'd been and was very relieved that her husband was back at Winfield Hall.

'Well, it made me feel better knowing you were warm and safe here,' James' dark gaze held hers his concern for her evident in his warm gaze. 'You've got to come to terms with the fact that you're pregnant Harry and that just for now you've got to take care.'

'I suppose you're right,' she got up to make some more coffee and missed Dempsey's look of astonishment.

'Jeez, that's a first,' he spooned up some of the porridge and she looked back at him not sure what he meant, 'you admitting I was right about something,' he responded dryly.

'Well don't get used to it, it's probably a one off,' she quipped unwilling for him to get one over on her.

'Moment of weakness,' he winked at her and watched her colour heighten.

'You're so annoying,' she responded without heat as she brought the coffee over to the table. 'The good news is that they'll be bringing the snow plough down the lane later today so life may return to normal. You should get some sleep, James if you want to go back to London tonight.'

'I'm in no hurry to leave sweetheart, we can go back the day after besides I told the guys I'd meet them in the bar this evening; we kind of bonded.'

Harry felt that she'd shared enough with James this weekend and felt more comfortable in her place in London but she could see he liked the vulnerability she'd shown in the barn and had a feeling he'd want to pursue that further.

'I agree with James,' Freddie piped up. 'You could both do with a bit of a breather from city life and I recommend that you stay for another night and let the roads have a chance to clear.

-oOo—


	15. Chapter 15

Dempsey woke up from a deep sleep and stretched and took in the large guest room he was occupying which linked to Harry's room. The bed was comfortable and the sheets were crisp and almost crackled when he stirred. He looked out of the window, must be about half past three because there was still light in the sky and the big snowflakes drifted past, it was kind of soothing. He'd have to get up if only to check Harry wasn't doing something she shouldn't.

His mind drifted back to the scene in the barn earlier and he smiled, he'd never really thought Harry had the hots for him like that. I mean, he spent many an hour fantasising about her but he thought that was a guy thing. Best not to push her too far though and let her come to him because she had asked for the hug and maybe it was better that way, let her feel like she was in control of it. On the other hand, displaying a lack of interest wouldn't be a good thing either cos that might make her feel that he'd got tired of the chase and she was in the revolving door and on the way out.

A light knock at his door brought his attention back to the present. 'Come in,' he answered whilst pulling the sheets around him to make things respectable as it might be Abbott or another member of staff if they'd managed to get to the Hall.

Harry came in with a mug of coffee and placed it on the nightstand or bedside table if you were British.

'You look a lot better than when you came back this morning,' she observed, 'how are you feeling?'

'I'm fine, slept well,' he sat up and picked up the steaming beverage, 'what's happening, did the snow ploughs get through,' he took a mouthful of the coffee it tasted good.

'We can get to the village but the road that leads to the A road is still blocked so getting back to London is going to be tricky. I rang the office and told them we were snowed in and as the trains and coaches are all out of action it would seem that the country really is at a standstill. We're okay for food and Freddie's been checking with the vicar to make sure that the villagers have got provisions.'

'You really take it seriously the Lord of the Manor stuff,' he teased her. 'Do you have to go out with loaves of bread and dispense them to the needy.'

'Of course not, if there's no bread we take them cake' he looked at her blankly and she supposed Marie Antoinette didn't translate well into American. 'French queen, it's a quote,' she explained.

'Were you related,' he grinned as she gave him that look. 'Thought you might be cos you said that your royal family popped into the Hall from time to time.'

'Hardly, Marie Antoinette went to the guillotine in the eighteenth century during the French Revolution, the royalty was out of touch with the general population's condition. There was no bread for the starving and she responded 'let them eat cake,' because she couldn't understand there being a lack of food.'

'Well we don't want the villagers revolting then so it's a good job Pop's on the blower. What've you been up to, I get concerned when you're out of sight since you seem to be defying your condition.'

'I'm pregnant not disabled,' Harry retorted with spirit as she sat on the side of the bed. 'I've been tending to the horses as the grooms aren't in.' She'd mucked them out and given them fresh hay and water, she knew the animals well and hadn't taken any foolish risks.

'You didn't go in the stalls with them,' his dark gaze interrogated hers, 'Harry, you've got to be nuts to do that.'

'I had to get them out of their stalls in order to clean them; I took one horse out at a time and they all behaved beautifully…

'I knew you'd be up to something if I didn't have you manacled to my side,' he growled getting out of bed and heading for the shower.

Harry swallowed hard as he was naked and unconcerned and she decided to leave the bedroom at that point.

'Stay exactly where you are,' he yelled from beneath the shower, 'I'm in a bad mood and if I have to come and find you it ain't gonna be pleasant.'

Harry gave an exasperated sigh and sat down on the window seat and watched the snowflakes falling with no sign of a let up.

He came out with a towel around his waist and was drying his hair with another. 'You got to be crazy going in with the horses. If you need that doing then just tell me, you can supervise.' He ran his hands through his hair and dug into his holdall for a brush. 'Any other crimes you'd like to confess.'

'I made a venison stew and I had to use a sharp knife,' she responded dryly as she flicked him a disdainful glance.

'Very amusing,' he growled as he pulled on his clothes totally uninhibited by her presence. 'Give me a list of what needs doing and we can look at how to split it.'

Harry got up and came right up to him and looked into his face assessing his mood. 'I'm not about to do anything dangerous James, I'm well aware of my responsibilities. You've always been over protective and this situation seems to have made it worse.'

'I was protective cos you kept volunteering for things when you shouldn't have and I was right when you think about it. Took you a while to get over some of the gigs you put up your hand for.' He wrapped his arms around her and rested his jaw on her hair. 'Took me a while to get over them too, still get nightmares…

'And yet here I am,' she gently reproved him. 'I'm fine James, stop worrying about me. Women have been having children since the beginning of time. I promise you that I won't do anything too exciting for the next couple of months.' She pulled away slightly to see whether her words had calmed him.

'I aim to make sure you don't,' he kissed her on the nose in a patronising fashion and saw her eyes fire, he laughed cos Harry was always a challenge.

'At least kiss me properly,' she retorted, 'that was just annoying.'

That was weird she didn't usually ask to be kissed. A warm pair of lips descended on hers and her hands crept up into his hair as he very thoroughly explored her lips and inner recesses of her mouth.

'You can certainly kiss,' her cheeks were flushed and her mouth was full and generous when he raised his head.

'Your pretty good at it yourself,' he smiled his eyes warm on hers. 'You want to stay here or should we go see how your father is getting on?'

Harry wanted to stay but was well aware it would be making things too easy for James if she did. Knowing him as she did she wasn't sure that his attention would be maintained if the hunt for conquest was over. 'We'd better check on Freddie,' she pulled away reluctantly.

'Yeah, don't want me getting too cocky,' he growled as he followed her to the door, 'got to keep the guy hanging for crumbs.'

'Shut up, Dempsey.' The conversation felt familiar and comforting and they maintained their usual banter as they descended downstairs to find Harry's father.

-oOo—

Harry sat on a bar stool next to her father as Dempsey held court with the local search and rescue team.

'The men seem to find him very entertaining,' Freddie observed, 'I suppose he's what they call a man's man.'

'Oh, Dempsey has a million stories which he embellishes as time goes on,' Harry responded drily. 'He always maintains accuracy is not necessary for a good tale and gets quite critical if I inject anything factual into the mix.'

Her father laughed. 'I can just imagine you injecting fact into fiction, you always were a stickler for detail.'

'That's what makes me a good copper,' she responded with a smile. 'Attention to detail. James goes with his gut feelings whereas I…

'Get out your little notebook or pedal the computer,' Dempsey joined them and gave her a fruit juice and a whisky for Freddie. 'Ain't no right way or wrong way about being a cop unless you're on the take, that's the wrong way.' He took a mouthful of beer and winced, 'warm beer, I'll never get used to it.'

'You've both been very successful with very different styles of policing,' Freddie observed. 'Have you thought about where you will live after the babies are born. You're welcome to move into Eton Square. I don't use it very often and there's a lot more room than Harry's current abode and you will need accommodation for nannies and that kind of thing.'

Harry looked thoughtful. 'You're right Freddie I need to think about that. I intend to go back to work but I haven't got my head around the logistics yet. I should think about that sooner rather than later.'

'We don't need a nanny at night, cos we'll be there,' Dempsey frowned. He didn't really want other people living with them. He wanted to work things out with Harry and he didn't need an audience for that.'

'You wouldn't be,' Harry turned to him. 'You don't work nine to five, James. We need to think about that.'

'It's nice to hear a 'we,' he growled as she seemed to have forgotten him in the equation, 'you seemed to be planning it all on your own a minute ago.'

'Well, let's see shall we. I am the one who has to give birth to the babies, and I am the one who has to breastfeed the babies. I'm the one that is going on maternity leave and then has to wrench myself away from the children to go back to work. What exactly are you doing?' Harry's resentment at the situation peaked at that point, 'other than donating your sperm of course,' she added in a mock attempt at trying to be fair.

'I'm the one that'll be on the end of your cranky moods and doing whatever I can to help you with all that just like every man on the planet. I'll be earning our living and keeping the country safe so our babies have a chance and I'll be the one telling you you're beautiful after you've just ripped me a new one.' Dempsey was feeling a bit annoyed at her attitude since he'd moved in with her with the express intention of helping in any way he could.

Lord Winfield was listening to the interchange with a certain level of anxiety, both combatants seemed to be verbally tooled up as it were. 'Grandparents can help too,' he offered pleasantly. 'I'm sure there must be something I can do, I'm quite sure I can change a nappy or two.'

Harry's temper deflated at her father's offer of help and she kissed him on the cheek and looked quite tearful. 'I think I will need all the help I can get, thank you Freddie.'

'Nice that your Pop gets a shout out,' he growled with a growing sense of injustice. 'And as I remember you're the one who started this with that hug.' He knew that was the wrong thing to say especially as she kicked him hard on the shin. 'Ow!' That had been painful.

'Perhaps it might be better if tempers didn't get frayed,' the older man interjected. 'James, I think one of the fellows in the search and rescue team is trying to attract your attention.' He had come to the conclusion that separating the pair of them might be for the better.

The American had come to a similar point of view and excused himself to go and talk to Trevellyan, but that didn't mean he felt happy with the situation. Harry had definitely got more volatile as the pregnancy went on. It was like walking on egg shells and he wasn't good at that. And then there was all the feelings stuff and he guessed both of them felt kind of exposed as they weren't good at letting other people in. He shouldn't have blamed her for the hug, that had been bad, he shouldn't have said that.

Meanwhile Freddie was patting his daughter's hand and trying to calm her down. 'I think James will support you through it all, Harry. Of course, we men can't take on the things you mentioned but we can play our part.'

'I know. It's just that my life has been turned upside down and that's not the same for a man.' She was still furious with Dempsey after the hug comment. She picked up her fruit juice and took a sip.

'Darling, I definitely think you will need a nanny, possibly two and I would recommend twenty-four-hour cover. I'm sure your friends can give you some good advice as to suitable candidates. Two babies will be a lot of work and you will need time to recover.'

'I'll talk to James about it. Thank you for offering Eton Square but I think to begin with we'll stick to Camberwell Gardens.' Harry had a strong feeling that they should deal with twins on their own to begin with as bonding was important. It would be a test she supposed and they didn't need an audience for that.

-oOo-

'I'm cold,' Harry got into Dempsey's bed and moved into the warmth his body was emanating. 'I hope this weather is going to improve, snow is fun for a day or two but after that it gets a bit tedious.

'You give very mixed messages, you know that,' the American growled as he pulled her into his body. The last thing he'd expected was for Harry to cuddle up to him tonight.

'I'm pregnant, allowances have to be made. I should have made some cocoa in fact I definitely want some but it's too cold to get out of bed.' The hint was obvious. 'I like marshmallows on top, the little ones.'

'You want some chocolate,' he growled. 'And where do I find that in the tiny kitchen you have down there?' That was sarcastic as the kitchen was on the large side. The blonde detailed where he'd find the makings of the beverage and he duly went down to the huge area that was the hub of downstairs life.

Harry was sat up scanning through the novel he was reading when he returned, it was a Western. 'I always thought you'd missed your era,' she remarked as she put the book down and took the cocoa and smiled as she saw he'd arranged the marshmallows into a heart shape.

'How very romantic James,' she sipped the cocoa and looked amused at the gesture. He got rid of the robe and got back into bed with his boxers as the only item of clothing.

'You don't need a refrigerator in that kitchen,' he growled as he welcomed the warmth of the bed. He took the chocolate off her and took a mouthful and handed it back as she pouted with disappointment when he took it. 'You look cute when you do that,' his warm gaze moved over her in the soft light from the bedroom lamp. 'I'm sorry about the hug thing… I shouldn't have said that.'

'No, you shouldn't. It was a special moment and you shouldn't have used it to score points off me.' Her blue eyes flashed to his. 'It's not easy, James.'

'I know,' he murmured. 'We'll work it out.'

'We always do,' she agreed.

'I'm overdue for some leave. I'll take it when you have the babies; you'll have all the help you need, princess. I mean how hard can it be, all they do is feed, crap and sleep.'

She finished the cocoa and settled down on his chest. 'I think they're a bit more interactive than that James. They're your children, there is a possibility that yelling will be involved.'

'Nah, I'm a pussy cat,' he wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her hair. 'You really come in here just to get warm.'

'No, of course not,' she responded in an amused tone knowing his hopes would rise with her admission and then of course she had to depress his pretensions. 'I came in here because… she left a pregnant pause so to speak and she could almost feel his heart racing and his breathing altered perceptibly. 'I came in here because… I was cold and I wanted some cocoa,' she added simply, biting her lip and trying not to laugh.

'Well, you got your choc-o-late,' he emphasised the American name of the beverage, 'so, now you can hightail it back to your bed,' he growled, turning his back on her and then he smiled as she kissed his shoulder and did something wonderful to the back of his neck. 'Okay, well maybe, just maybe, I'll let you stay for a while,' he smiled as he turned around and took her into his arms.

'That's very kind of you,' her blue eyes held a very sensual expression, 'I can leave if you'd rather get some sleep,' her mouth teased his jaw and she gave a sound of satisfaction as he rose over her.

'Shut up, princess,' he growled as his mouth descended on hers.

-oOo—


	16. Chapter 16

_At last they get a morning after the night before…_

'Where you going,' a strong arm manacled Harry to Dempsey's side. He'd been half awake expecting her to do a runner and he wasn't having that. The sex had been great but when it came to every day intimacy she couldn't handle it that much he knew.

'I need to go to the loo,' she responded in an even tone. 'I'll be back in a minute,' she had intended on going back to her room and was feeling awkward about being caught out by the American.

'Okay, but just so you know if you're not back here in five minutes I'm gonna come looking for you and we'll probably have one of those fights and that might wake up your Pop and Abbot and anyone else who's in the house.' Slowly, the staff had started to appear in greater numbers as the road to the village had been cleared.

Harry ignored him and went off to the bathroom in her room which was an en-suite. She had a quick shower to freshen up and muttered under her breath about her annoying partner. It made her jump when the shower door opened and James joined her.

'I'm guessing that you don't feel comfortable until you've washed away the physical intimacy,' he took the soap off her and efficiently covered her in lather. 'I'm happy having your scent on me,' he informed her, his voice low in timbre and creating a hypnotic, cocoon of sensuality.

'Well, we're two very different people,' she retorted as he gave her the soap and the challenge in his gaze was unmistakeable. He was daring her to return the favour. Harry swallowed hard and ran the soap over his hair roughened chest and then lower. Her jaw tightened as she washed him intimately never one to back down from a situation. 'There, I think you're squeaky clean,' she headed out the door of the shower only to be hauled back against his hard, wet body.

'Never took you for a prick tease, princess,' his teeth bit into the join of her neck and shoulder and he felt the reaction to that as a tremor ran through her slim frame.

'I'm not, you were challenging me,' she shivered again as his hands cupped her breasts, the feeling of wet skin against wet skin unbearably erotic.

'That's the thing about a challenge honey, you can choose whether or not to pick up the gauntlet,' he turned her round, 'but if you do then there are consequences.'

'And what would those consequences be, honey?' Her blue eyes mocked him but a tiny thrill of pleasure ran through her at the dark fire in his gaze.

'Let me show you,' he growled as his mouth descended on hers.

-oOo—

Lord Winfield noticed a certain friction between the couple at breakfast but he pretended that he wasn't aware of it and led the conversation in an amiable way. 'Most of the staff have returned which is just as well as we have a corporate event next week and the Hall needs some preparation before that happens.'

The American nodded acknowledging that conditions had improved as far as the roads were concerned. 'Sounds like they've cleared a route to the A road, I'll take Harry back if you could arrange for someone to bring her car down to London.'

'I can drive myself,' Harry bristled at his high-handed behaviour. The last thing she wanted after their enforced intimacy this morning was to spend hours in a car with James.

Her father however nodded his head as if she hadn't spoken. 'Abbot can return it when we visit Eton Square later in the week, if you can manage without it until then.'

'We can manage,' Dempsey responded as his dark gaze took in Harry's mutinous expression. He never could understand why fantastic sex made her resentful. It was as if she'd let herself down in some way, it didn't make sense. He'd made sure they woke up together this time and got ready to come down for breakfast together and he knew she'd been uncomfortable with that. It was ridiculous cos they'd managed to cohabit on stake out's and undercover work. It was just when they did it for real she got spooked by it.

On his behalf he found it fascinating watching her as she did those everyday things like putting on her make up or even pulling on those cute little socks she wore under her ankle boots. He loved all that with her but then he guessed he was crazy about Harry and she was still 'not ready,' to discuss her feelings and that bugged him.

'I know you're perfectly capable of driving yourself sweetheart, but there's plenty of idiots like Andrews on the road so just for once let me take charge.'

Harry couldn't believe he'd actually said that. When she thought of all the times he'd interfered if she did anything that was in the least bit dangerous. 'Just for once,' she mocked him. 'You've never stopped trying to put me in a box that says little woman with fragile stamped all over it.'

'Well, just at this moment you're in a delicate situation and I'm feeling very protective so indulge me,' he bit into the monster egg and bacon sandwich he'd assembled.

'Anyone would think you were eating for three,' Harry observed critically as she buttered her toast and then frowned as he added scrambled egg and some grilled tomatoes to her plate.

Lord Winfield tried to hide a smile as he poured himself a cup of tea. 'I'll pop in and see you both next week if that's convenient and Harry can show me the nursery.

As they hadn't done anything as yet about the babies' arrival and as Dempsey was still in the spare room there was nowhere to establish a nursery. Their eyes met and Harry looked away quickly. Freddie was right, they should do something about that, how awkward.

A smile tugged at Dempsey's mouth as he poured himself more coffee to wash down the monster breakfast, 'checkmate,' he acknowledged mentally.

-oOo-

Harry was fuming as Dempsey was humming a popular tune as he efficiently drove them back to London. He had found it hard to disguise his amusement at her discomfiture around the issue of the nursery.

'It's going to be slow,' he observed as the dual carriageway still had a lot of snow on both lanes. 'I thought they'd cleared this.'

'There's a gritting truck ahead,' Harry answered in a terse tone, 'the salt should help.' She went back to the difficulties of establishing the nursery. They would need two cots and a changing table not to mention a baby bath. The spare room could accommodate that comfortably but not with the double bed Dempsey was currently occupying. Oh, he'd be loving this. It would suit him to have her share her bed with him and be suitably available as it were. And the thing was she was horribly attracted to him so sharing a bed and not doing it would be torture.

I mean it was as if her father and James had colluded to bring her to this point. Perhaps that was unfair on Freddie, I mean the babies would be here in a matter of weeks and she had currently made no provision for their welfare which was something which undoubtedly needed to be dealt with. The large double bed in that room could be dismantled and stored at Eton Square and that would make room for a good-sized nursery.

She could put a single bed in the spare room and she could sleep in there as Dempsey would need his rest and she would need to be close to the babies. It had been his idea to move in so it was hardly her fault if his sleeping arrangements were reduced to a single bed for the time being.

As she made these plans Dempsey was amusing himself at Harry's evident discomfort and he wondered whether she was reconfiguring the attic in order to avoid sharing a bed with him on a permanent basis.

'I can almost hear you thinking,' he observed in a dry tone. 'Pops really threw you a curve ball with the nursery visit,' a deep laugh escaped. 'Your face was priceless.'

'Oh, shut up,' she snapped back. 'Perhaps we should move to Eton Square there's lots of room there. I hadn't really thought this through.'

'I don't mind sharing with you,' he glanced at her frozen profile, 'saves the trip across the landing.'

'I don't want to be forced into close proximity just because it's practical,' a blue flash of a glance landed on his smirking face.

'Good sex makes most women happy, you seem to think you've let the side down if you have an orgasm. It's kind of odd.' His mind went pleasurably back to the scene in the shower, 'I mean you were climbing me that denotes a certain level of enthusiasm.'

'What can I say Dempsey, you're irresistible.' Her voice tone didn't suggest she thought that was a good thing or indeed a desirable outcome.

'That's because I'm a generous lover,' he grinned at her, 'and you particularly bring out my benevolent side, I'm just a gift that keeps giving.'

Her stiff body language should have told him he was royally winding her up. 'I'm not going to be forced into becoming your latest squeeze because of an issue with space,' she snapped back at him. 'We haven't resolved our relationship issues James and I'm not going to be pushed into anything before I'm ready.'

'You've been spending too much time with Bradshaw,' he growled back at her. 'I'd never talk about you in that way. I've told you how I feel about you and that was one big insult.'

Harry had a horrible feeling of being in the wrong again for the second time in a short period and it came to her that James could bring out the best and the worst in her and it was a toss of the coin which. 'I apologise,' she said stiffly.

'Apology accepted,' he responded gruffly. 'Your physical response to me, you find that difficult,' he verbalized her discomfort. 'You feel vulnerable,' he cast her a quick glance. 'I know a bit about that. I avoided asking you for a date for the same reason. I knew it'd be serious with you.'

'You did?' She looked at him quite shocked at that. 'So why did you…

'Why did the hug turn out different,' he gave a wry smile. 'I guess my need for you was greater than my fear of it, that's what I worked out anyway.'

'You seem to have got further with it than I have,' she crossed her arms defensively. 'I don't want to be hurt and I hate feeling vulnerable, it makes me feel unlike myself.'

'Welcome to the club,' he changed gears and headed for the inside lane. 'I could do with some coffee, let's take a break.'

Harry nodded and was grateful that he'd made the effort to discuss his feelings because she knew how hard it was for him to do that.

They sat down with coffee and tea and he caught her glance. 'Just put a single bed in the nursery, I mean I've slept on your sofa before it'll be better than that.

'Well I did think that might work because if the children wake through the night you will need your sleep and I can see to them, so that would work well before and after. And that would give me time to…

'Work out whether you can get over the fear,' he smiled warmly at her. 'It's not so bad once you get used to it, at first I felt like I was on the edge of this precipice looking down now there's a bit of a slope.'

Harry laughed, the sound almost musical. 'Yes, that's it. That's exactly it.' She looked somewhat rueful, 'I don't think being pregnant helps, it's as if there is a precipice on either side.'

'I get that,' he took her hand and squeezed. 'Don't worry princess, I'll catch you if you fall, I'll always have your back. You're my partner and you always will be,' he insisted holding her gaze, 'and don't you ever forget that.'

-oOo—


	17. Chapter 17

For Podder

Dempsey was very concerned not to spook Harry after their conversation. I mean he knew Harry was physically attracted to him and they got on well but he didn't know whether he was the 'one' for her. It sometimes got to him that in all probability he might not be quite her cup of tea, I mean they argued a lot and came from totally different backgrounds.

He was pondering this as he painted the spare room in the soft yellow she'd chosen for the nursery. It was a classy colour and it reminded him of soft summer light in the early morning, nothing too garish about it.

Harry had refused to ask about the babies' sex and seemed to want to keep it a surprise which meant all the clothes they'd bought had had to be in pastels but neither pink or blue. She wore well cut clothes that disguised her pregnancy but people had started to speculate; he'd heard them at the coffee area. He knew that she'd heard them too but as they didn't bother to feed the curious with any information speculation was all they had.

He heard her come in and waited for her to find him as he finished a tricky bit near the coving.

'Hi,' she poked her nose around the door. 'You've nearly finished,' the admiring tones were nice to hear. 'It looks lovely, very fresh,' she smiled at him. 'Have you been at it all day?'

'Most of it,' he responded with a lopsided smile. 'Thought we'd better get a move on cos the doc said the twins could arrive early and if they do we need to be ready.'

'I didn't have an early date in my plan,' she frowned. 'In fact, this year has pretty much taken me by surprise. When you've finished we can assemble the cots or perhaps we should try and get rid of the paint smell first.'

'I'll sleep with the windows open,' he responded in a wry tone. He could see she looked very conscious that sleeping in a room with drying paint wasn't ideal. 'I'll be fine,' he added. 'If it gets too much there's always the couch.'

'Well if you're sure,' she looked a bit off centre. 'I'll make dinner,' she headed off to the kitchen. James had been so nice to her lately she felt very mean spirited making him sleep in the other room. But still, if they were to get to any kind of harmony she needed to be sure of what she was getting into.

She filled chicken with cheese and the wrapped prosciutto around it and then made potato gratin to go with it because she knew Dempsey liked that. It was a food apology for the paint and she added a medley of vegetables to make it more nutritious.

The babies seemed very active today and she wondered about that. She was eight months into the pregnancy and was beginning to feel tired and uncomfortable when she tried to sleep. A quick shower would be nice while the meal cooked. It was heavenly taking of the restricting clothes; bathing and putting on soft workout clothes which felt comfortable. She looked in the mirror, from the rear view she didn't look pregnant but from the front she certainly did.

'I don't think you've gained much weight,' Dempsey stood at the doorway of her room, he'd finished and washed off the paint which had been smeared on his hands.

'I've exercised and eaten well so hopefully I won't have piled on the pounds,' she moved towards the doorway and he stepped back to let her through. He'd backed off lately and she wondered about that. Had he gone off her as she was now very obviously pregnant.

'I did a couple of practice runs to the hospital this morning, piece of cake when you have a police siren. You got that bag packed yet?'

Harry indicated a holdall by her bed. 'Once we have the cots made up we'll be ready,' she went back to the oven and checked the chicken. 'Are you sure you want to attend the birth, I think I'd give it a miss if I had the option.'

'I've delivered a couple of babies so I know the drill,' he put the cutlery on the table. 'It was when I was a young cop on the beat, we got trained to do that.'

'It never came my way,' Harry responded. 'I'd rather you stayed away from the business end of it. I don't think…

'I'll do whatever makes you comfortable, but I do want to be there cos I kind of put them there and I want to say hi,' he felt a bit emotional when he thought about it. 'It's a beautiful, natural thing Harry, nothing to be embarrassed about.'

'Well that's because it's not your private places being exposed,' she responded awkwardly. 'I'm not feeling very brave,' she admitted as she tested the vegetables.

'You'll be great,' he came over and put his arms around her and gave her a hug. 'I still think you should take the drugs; I mean two of them, it's gonna be hard.'

'No, to drugs,' she turned to face him. 'I mean it James so don't go countermanding my decisions if things get a bit difficult.'

Dempsey was pretty sure he couldn't promise her that because he didn't want anything happening to Harry and if she was in pain he'd want to do something.

-oOo—

In the end neither of them needed to have worried as Dempsey was busy with a terrorist attack in London when Harry was taken off to the hospital and Joyce Hargreaves had been there with D.I. Winfield at the birth. When he rushed in Harry was sat up with two tiny babies in her arms looking like a perfect picture of motherhood.

'I'm sorry Harry,' he was very disappointed not to have been with her. 'I couldn't leave until the operation was over. So, what have we got here?'

'One of each,' she smiled. 'This is your daughter and this is your son, they're not identical according to the doctor so they won't necessarily look terribly alike. More like brother and sister, I would imagine.'

'They're dark like me but they've got your eyes,' he picked up the little girl and he looked quite emotional.

Joyce tactfully removed herself and let them have their moment.

'Was it very hard on you,' he asked her his dark eyes bruised on hers as he looked from Harry to his daughter.

'No, it was fine. A bit painful and I'm rather sore but it all went well. Joyce was a very good coach, she's been through it three times so she's an old hand.'

'Good,' he gave her the little girl back and took his son in his arms. 'I feel overwhelmed with the sense of responsibility,' his voice was gruff as he admitted how he felt.

'I would imagine every parent feels like that,' she watched him and then said, 'come here James,' she put out her hand. 'I'm sorry you weren't here but I don't suppose you can put terrorists on hold any more than you can do that with babies,' she squeezed his hand to reassure him.

'True, we're on the front line, it's not always a comfortable place to be but someone has to do it.' He squeezed her hand back, 'I love you Harry and thank you for giving me my son and daughter.'

Harry blushed at the emotion in his words, it was rare for James to be like that so all the more precious. 'Well, now it begins and we'll see what life is really going to be like. I think we're about to face our greatest challenge.'

'Amen to that,' he grinned at her. 'Have you tried feeding them yet?'

'Yes, it's very painful and not at all like they describe it in the books,' she responded with a grimace.

'Maybe it'll get easier,' he smoothed a tendril of her hair back. 'I have to go in tomorrow to write up the report on the incident but I'll get off as soon as I can and come and pick you up.'

'Are you really going to be able to do that because Freddie and Abbot can collect me,' her blue eyes searched his. 'Your job isn't going to get less demanding because you have children.'

'I will come and get you and take you home,' he leaned in and kissed her. 'You did good Harry, you did good.'

-oOo—

Dempsey was true to his word as he guided the nurses and Harry to his car and got his new family settled for the drive home. Once, they arrived the mayhem began cos if one wasn't crying or needing feeding it was the other. There was little time for Harry to take a nap, as much as James tried to take the weight off her there were things he obviously couldn't do.

'There won't be anything left of your Mom if you guys don't let her get some rest,' he growled as he dealt with the soiled diaper. 'Dammit, he peed before I could get the fresh one on,' he started to mop up.

'I'm pretty sure he waits or it's the effect of the cooler air hitting his skin,' Harry was busy feeding her daughter. She was very discrete about it as she didn't want to feel embarrassed by flaunting her breasts.

'Have you got any further with names,' he brought the little boy over to his Mom.

'Well we could call him Frederick after my father but it's a bit old fashioned, or Emory which is Freddie's second name, and then we could call him Rory for short which to be honest would suit him perfectly.'

'I'm cool with that,' he agreed. 'Emory, Frederick, James how about that?'

'Yes, that's fine and I thought perhaps Louisa for a girl, I've always liked that name and then Margaret after my mother…

'And then Harriet cos we got to get that in somewhere,' he smiled at her.

'Dempsey Winfield, after that because we need the family name to come last,' she checked that out with him and he seemed fine with it.

'Rory and Lou,' he grinned at her.

'You are not to call her Lou,' Harry responded in a firm tone. 'I mean it James, why do American's have to shorten things, I think it's because you have a short attention span.'

'Yeah, whatever. We're just friendly that's all and you were okay with Rory. She looks full up, have this one,' he handed over his son and took Louisa off her mother.'

'All the guys at work are asking after you, luckily Hargreaves filled them in on the happy event so they're all up to speed. I think we should do a christening party since we didn't do anything for the wedding.'

'They need to be christened at Winfield Hall we have a chapel and a vicar there,' she looked rather decided about that.

'It's a long way to drag the guys up there. I was thinking of a nice spread at the local, so that everyone can come.'

'I'm not taking my children to a smoky pub,' Harry protested. 'If we have it at Winfield Hall, the children can make an appearance then go to the nursery and we can mingle with our guests.' She looked up at him, 'it's not that far Dempsey.'

'Well I say we do something local to wet the baby's heads and then we can do whatever you like at Winfield Hall. You can bring the babies into the office to show them off, the girls in the typing pool would like that. I know you do things different in the aristocracy but that's what I want. Just bring a bunch of photos to the pub cos they'll have already had a chance to coo over the kids.'

Harry had definitely seen the children's christening as being a Lady Harriet rather than a D.I. Winfield affair but then she had been there when other female members of staff had visited the office with their new borns and had duly engaged in the usual pleasantries. She'd never imagined herself doing that as she kept work and home life strictly private and although her colleagues knew she was married to Dempsey they would never see the confirmation of that through any behaviour of hers in the workplace.

'I think I'd feel awkward doing that,' she frowned. 'It's not the way I do things.'

Well, it's the way I do things and they're my kids so for once I'd like you to do something my way,' he wasn't backing down on this cos he knew that if they did it at Winfield Hall, Spikings and Chas would get an invite but not necessarily the others.

'James, it's hard enough being a female officer. I like to keep my work personae separate from my private life…

'What's the problem, is this cos your desperate to pretend that we ain't really married, don't want to give any evidence to support the fact. Newsflash for you Harry, I'm the senior officer here so for once you can play the little woman.' He left the nursery and went into the kitchen to make some coffee and avoid an argument in front of the kids.

Harry swallowed hard and tried to stop her temper getting the better of her. She wasn't anybody's little woman! She was the more aware of the gossip the two of them engendered and she did her best not to give their colleagues much to go on. Turning up with the twins and Dempsey in tow would certainly give fuel to all that, the opening of the kimono as it were. For him, it would be a kind of pat on the back, look at me glamorous wife and the proof of my virility. For her, super knocked up by former stud with attendant proof. She put Louisa into her cot and walked into the lounge.

Harry could see by the set of his jaw he was determined to have his way on this and she felt utterly against it.

'I'll book the pub tomorrow,' he growled, 'and if you don't want to turn up then don't. I'll take the babies into the office; I'll say the wife is sick or something.' He gave her a grimace of a smile, 'that way you can go back to work and pretend you were never pregnant, never married and in fact never had anything to do with me.'

The shock on the blonde's face was only too evident; he was obviously calling her on their relationship and it very much sounded like he was drawing a line in the sand.

'You can't just decide what we will and won't do in public,' Harry shot back. 'It's just like you… I suppose this is some sort of ultimatum.'

'I'm just doing the normal thing; it's you that's running interference,' he growled. 'I'm proud of the fact you're my wife or I would be if you really were my wife. And I'm proud of my kids. But you, you're just ashamed you were naughty that one time with the bad boy. I'm nobody's dirty secret Harry, so you got your decision to make.'

Harry's colour rose at that accusation and she was horrified that he thought that. It was being one of a stream of girls that she objected too. She had prided herself on not succumbing to her partner's charms and it was difficult to come to terms with the fact that she had, more than once.


	18. Chapter 18

The date of the celebration loomed in the diary and Harry was very aware of the fact that James wasn't feeling very patient with her. He was helpful with the twins and would get up to walk one of them if the two of them cried at once even though he had to work the next morning. He was polite to her but the warmth had gone and she had the feeling he was hurt by her indecision about them.

Harry had just got the children ready for a walk in the park after lunch when Dempsey turned up and picked up their car seats and took the babies out one by one and secured them in the car. She followed.

'What exactly do you think you're doing?' She stood beside the car hands on hips.

'Told you, I'm taking them in to see everyone. You didn't want them going in a smoky pub, so they're going to the office and I've banned everyone from smoking this morning and we've had the windows open so that's what I've done about that.'

'You didn't tell me it was today,' she questioned him.

'Well, you weren't interested so I'm doing this.' He got in the car and drove off leaving her on the pavement looking outraged.

Thirty minutes later Harry was in her car and following him to the office in a complete and utter rage. How dare he? Arrogant, high handed, annoying, bloody man. She got to SI10 offices and went in search of her children.

She found Dempsey holding court, juggling both babies and telling anecdotes about them, she strode over and took Louisa out of his arms. She hardly had time to say anything to James about his behaviour as the ladies from the typing pool had a hundred questions.

Spikings looked his usual cheerful self but did manage to come over and say a few words before retreating back to his office.

Joyce greeted her in a friendly manner. 'Dempsey said you weren't feeling up to the visit and then you appeared,' she gave a short laugh. 'It's good to see you Harry, the twins are so much bigger now. How are you taking to motherhood?'

'It's tiring but everything is going as well as can be expected,' she smiled at her friend. 'James left without bringing the necessary paraphernalia so I had to come separately. He forgets how much stuff you need when you take them anywhere.'

'And the buffet is over at the Ambercote tomorrow night I believe, it will be nice to raise a glass to your er… Well it will be nice to have a celebration,' Joyce tagged on as D.I. Winfield didn't look too enthusiastic.

'I'll try and look in, babysitters are hard to get when you have two babies,' she replied pleasantly side stepping any commitment to attend. She retired to her old office and gave Louisa her bottle as she'd come prepared. So that was one child sorted, she was expecting to hear from Rory shortly as he wasn't a patient baby.

Ten minutes later Dempsey appeared with a red-faced Rory who was being very vocal about being hungry. They swapped children.

'Good job you came, he'd have raised the roof.' He sat down opposite and rubbed Louisa's back until she gave a delicate little burp.

'Yes, it is a good job I came as you didn't bring anything with you,' she threw him a cloth to put over his shoulder in case Louisa's milk made a return journey. 'I'll take them back home and you can get on with your day. I'll need help getting them both to the car. It's easier at home as I can park close to the house.'

'I guess you're mad at me, must be killing you being so polite,' his dark gaze observed the slight flush of her skin. 'Still we've done it now, so that's that.'

'Yes,' she agreed in a terse tone. 'I think Rory's ready, let's go.' She made her way through the offices exchanging salutations as she went and was relieved to get to the car.

'You got a babysitter for tomorrow,' he asked her knowing that she hadn't.

'No, it's difficult….

'Your Pop's coming over with the housekeeper, Mrs Meeks. He's very keen to get involved,' he put Louisa into her seat and then moved round to take Rory off her and put him in his.

'You just push and push until you get your own way don't you,' her blue eyes were brilliant with fury and to some extent frustrated, sexual need.

'No, I've been very patient, beginning to think that's a mistake,' he tipped up her jaw and kissed her hard on the mouth, 'later,' he said after he'd raised his head.

Harry felt like hitting him but since their colleagues were going in and out she felt that would be unwise. She got in the car feeling totally furious and was even more annoyed that her hormones were dancing with pleasure at that brief hard kiss.

-oOo-

Harry was very on edge when Dempsey got in from work that evening. She'd prepared dinner and the twins were bathed and settled for the next few hours. It had taken them a while to go to sleep and she felt that might be because she was feeling so emotional.

'Something smells good,' James greeted her, 'I was going to suggest a take-out as you've had a busy day,' his gaze held hers. 'The team are all made up about the visit even Spikings but then he's always had a soft spot for you.'

'I didn't really get the chance to speak to him,' she responded evidently ill at ease.

'Well he's coming tomorrow night so maybe you'll get the chance then,' he put his keys in the dish on the table and went to the fridge to get a beer. 'Says he's got a new role for you mapped out and you can decide whether you want to start part time if you want that.'

'I'm expecting you to tell me whether I want it or not,' she fired back and then was annoyed at herself for being confrontational.

'Might be better to ease into it; you'll miss the kids, it might be hard to go back full time so early,' he took a slug of the beer. 'Up to you but that's what I think.'

'Thank you for your thoughts on the issue, it's my career I'll make up my own mind,' she went over to the oven and checked the dinner.

'You spoiling for a fight Harry, cos I'm ready?' He put the beer down and came up to her. 'I'll start. I want you to come to our celebration tomorrow night and I want you in my bed tonight,' he tipped up her jaw and searched her gaze. 'You're my wife and I want you to start acting like it.'

'I see,' she jerked her jaw away her blue eyes blazing with fury and passion. 'And what will happen if I don't do either of those things.'

'I'll move out cos this is crucifying me,' he laid it on the line for her. His eyes were dark with emotion and he could see his words had hit her hard.

'I thought you said you'd give me time,' she ran her arms around her body defensively. 'I've been so busy with the children, I haven't had time to think about our situation.'

'The way I see it you either feel it or you don't. It's not a matter of thinking about it. Do you feel the way I do princess or not?' She was struggling he could see that.

'I don't want you to leave,' she protested her blue eyes wide with hurt at that thought.

'Say the words Harry, I need to hear them,' he came up to her and ran his arms around her stiff body.

'Why do you need to push me like this,' she looked up at him her gaze hectic with emotion, 'why?'

'Because if I don't you'll stay closed up in there forever, it ain't healthy.' He tipped up her chin and took her mouth in a kiss full of passionate demand and gave an inner groan as she wound herself around him and kissed him back with all the fire a man could desire. His arms tightened around her. 'That was something,' he growled in her ear. 'Say it,' he felt her body trembling in his arms and he almost relented, almost but something stopped him. This was their moment.

'I love you,' Harry said very quietly. 'At the moment I don't like you very much but I do love you, there are you satisfied.'

'Well, let's not get all mushy here,' James smiled warmly at her. 'I don't like you very much either,' he hugged her to him his arms crushing her.

'Ouch!' She complained and he relaxed the bruising grip. 'I don't know why I feel like this. It's not at all rationale as much as I've tried to make sense of it. There must be a world of men more compatible and I can't understand why I got stuck with you.'

'Take it easy princess, don't want my ego to get out of hand.' He rained kisses down on her face and was amused as she tried to avoid the onslaught by burying her face into his chest. 'How long have you felt like that?'

'I'm not going into details all you need to know is that I do and that I don't want you to leave as much as I do sometimes want you to leave.' She lifted her face and looked up at him. 'You have an overbearing nature.'

'Yeah, but I need that to deal with you,' he growled. 'You'd still be dipping your toe daintily in the dating pool if I hadn't been like that. I knew I couldn't live without you and that bugged me but I decided to make the best of it.' Dempsey laughed at her expression of outrage.

'It bugged you because you needed me,' the blonde questioned him feeling rather winded by his honesty.

'Course it did, I didn't want the whole couples' thing; you know my views on marriage. I think I might have talked about that a little bit. I knew I'd never get you if I didn't commit cos you flagged that up loud and clear and I ended up committed without the benefits so…

'You thought you'd make the best of it,' Harry eyed him knowingly. 'That must be the most unromantic declaration ever. Very believable though, knowing how your mind works.'

'So, come on, when did you start warming to me… He swayed her from side to side his hands on her waist.

'After that night at Stringfellows when you took me home,' she held his gaze. 'I decided you weren't as advertised as you didn't take advantage of me.'

'And I could have,' he smiled his warm eyes teasing her. 'You were all over me that night, very sexy, that red dress… You still got that?'

Harry ignored the question about the red dress, she did have it but she'd always felt she'd let herself down and only Dempsey's decency had left her with her pride intact. She continued albeit reluctantly. 'And then the Crazy Joe incident, I knew then… She sighed heavily. I get anxious when you go undercover and even now with Malik….

'I'm good at what I do and I don't take unnecessary risks especially now with the babies,' James rested his forehead against hers. 'We're good together, just got to get used to being good together like this.'

'I don't think that will be easy,' she looked up at him and her expression held a world of vulnerability.

'We'll work it out. There's too much there not to.' He kissed her gently in order to reassure her. His nostrils flared as he took in the well-done smell emanating from the oven. 'I think dinner may be ready.'

'Oh dear, I forgot,' she pulled away and went to rescue their dinner. She felt very shaken and vulnerable but decided she'd have to get over it and after all he had insisted on being in her bed this evening so the situation did have an upside.

-oOo—

'Would you have left,' Harry asked him as they lay on the sofa their bodies entwined. 'I don't like to think of your leaving.'

'Yeah,' James ran a strand of her hair through his fingers, 'it was hard for me admitting what I did and you still not committing. You're one tough broad, getting you on board was like landing a great white.'

Harry laughed. 'Well you found it all too easy to charm the ladies and then you expected me to drop in your lap and were quite put out when I didn't.' She looked up into his face as he was raised on his elbow leaning over her. 'And I didn't want to be just another girl; and it would have been difficult working together if we had dated and then decided it wasn't going to work.'

'You're a challenge, you always have been. I like that,' Dempsey smiled at her and relaxed down on top of her as his mouth teased hers.

She ran her arms around his neck and returned the kiss as she had a lot of frustrated passion to deal with. He seemed to be happy with that she subliminally registered and then the soft groan he gave told her how much he'd missed her touch.

'You're not going to make me fight for it every time are you,' James kissed her throat and his hand went to the buttons of her blouse and he slowly opened them one by one and then kissed her cleavage as he exposed her soft skin.

'I don't know,' she ran her fingers into his hair, 'I don't plan it that way. My behaviour is generally a reaction to yours,' she lifted her head giving him greater access to her neck. 'You annoy me, you amuse me and you attract me in equal measure so it depends which feeling is gaining the upper hand.'

He ran his hand over her naked midriff and smiled. 'Maybe I'd better shut up cos the last thing I want to do is annoy you right now,' his mouth sank to kiss the soft skin of her stomach. 'You'd never believe you'd had two babies in there.' Her skin was so soft he couldn't get enough of her.

'Shall we move this to the bedroom,' the blonde asked in a sultry tone as she ran her hands up his back under the shirt, 'your clothes are getting in the way, I want to touch you.'

'I can get naked in seconds,' his warm smile told her he liked that suggestion and he got up and pulled her off the couch. 'Better get a move on before one of them kicks off.' He unbuttoned his cuffs as they moved rooms.

Harry got rid of the blouse he'd already opened and shimmied out of her skirt, stepping out of it and leaving it on the floor as she got into bed in her underwear.

'Take the rest off,' he growled as he pulled his shirt over his head and got rid of his jeans.

'Wouldn't you rather do it yourself,' she played back the words she'd used to the pilot in one of their early operations.

'You're right I was a total jerk. If that was now I wouldn't have let the guy within a hundred yards of you.' James joined her on the bed. 'Guess we've both changed, huh?'

'I suppose we have,' she leant back to take off her bra and smiled as he brushed her hands out of the way and dealt with it.

'One of my favourite things removing your clothes cos when your naked it takes my breath away.' He slid the panties down her slim legs and pulled her to him. 'What's your pleasure,' he teased her as he kissed around her jaw.

Harry retaliated by moving her leg in such a way as to press against his manhood and she smiled at him smugly as she felt how hard he was. 'Whatever my pleasure is I think it's going to have to be delivered quickly. Move into me James, I don't think I need any foreplay and you obviously don't.'

He moved over her. 'Hope you're not questioning my self-control honey,' he growled but in truth he was as keen to get to it as she was. And was somewhat relieved by her calling it. His breath caught in his throat as he slid into her, he'd never experienced the sheer pleasure he felt with her it was kind of something else. 'Har-ry,' he groaned.

She was turned on by the way he said her name, he sounded like he was in agony and she thought passionate agony suited James after that she didn't think very much at all as feeling took over and getting to that special moment had become somewhat imperative.

They clung together as they both reached a physical and emotional climax at the same time and it took long minutes before either of them spoke.'

Harry got to it first and she smiled and said, 'that was lovely.' Her fingertips traced the indentations of his spine. 'You made a lot of noise I'm surprised you didn't wake the babies.'

'I like to show my appreciation,' Dempsey's voice was muffled against her throat, 'that was such a rush, what did you call it, lovely. You got a funny way with words, a bunch of flowers is lovely that was hot and kind of visceral, primitive even.' He rose up and looked down at her, 'you say that to make it all polite?'

'Well, I do try and be polite,' Harry eyed him with amusement, 'I was always brought up to say please and thank you, I believe I said please a number of times so perhaps I should say thank you.'

He laughed at that. 'I like the way you say please makes me only too willing to oblige.' He moved off her and rolled onto his back. 'Don't have to say thank you though cos the pleasure was all mine.'

'No, it wasn't,' she settled on his chest and kissed it gently. 'Do you think we'll stay together forever,' she looked up at him curious as to what he'd say.

'No,' he kissed her nose and laughed as she pouted at that. 'One forever wouldn't be enough,' he murmured wrapping his arms around her. 'Bound to fight and fall out though cos we always have.'

'Only because you're bossy and domineering,' Harry smoothed his chest hair absentmindedly. 'And determined to have your own way even when it's diametrically opposed to mine.'

'Yeah, and you're just all sweetness and light so it must be down to me, right.' The sarcasm was difficult to miss.

'I'm glad we agree on something,' she smiled up at him and then she stilled as one of the babies started up.

Their eyes met, 'your turn,' they both said in unison.

The end.


End file.
